Is eBay Harming Charities?
Yet again, eBay has come in for criticism on regional television in the UK – this time on the BBC’s Look North news program (Tuesday 8 November).
So what has eBay done wrong? Well it seems that donations of second hand clothes, books and other items to charity shops in the high street are rapidly declining. The conclusion appears to be that instead of donating items they do not want to charity shops, more and more people are deciding to raise cash for themselves by listing their bric-a-brac on eBay, the world’s largest online auction.
While that statement may have some basis in fact, the counterbalance is that many Charities have decided to keep up with the changing world in which we live by joining eBay and having their own virtual shops as well as a physical presence in the High Street.
Oxfam has, for some years, been in the forefront when it comes to new ideas and making use of technology to further its’ corporate objectives of raising money to help stamp out hunger and poverty in the emerging Nations.
A representative of Oxfam was interviewed and pointed out that times change and Oxfam was taking advantage of new ways of raising funds – including setting up their own eBay Charity shop.
eBay has a complete section dedicated to charity auctions and even features the BBC’s famous Pudsey Bear on its’ home page to help raise public awareness of how online auctions can be a very effective way of raising funds for good causes.
So come on everyone, it’s not down to eBay Corporate to make charity fundraising on eBay a practical proposition. It’s up to you and me to do our bit too by donating items for these Charity sales. And come on BBC, let’s put a more positive slant on how the eBay community helps charities – times do change and so do the methods of raising funds for good causes.
So what has eBay done wrong? Well it seems that donations of second hand clothes, books and other items to charity shops in the high street are rapidly declining. The conclusion appears to be that instead of donating items they do not want to charity shops, more and more people are deciding to raise cash for themselves by listing their bric-a-brac on eBay, the world’s largest online auction.
While that statement may have some basis in fact, the counterbalance is that many Charities have decided to keep up with the changing world in which we live by joining eBay and having their own virtual shops as well as a physical presence in the High Street.
Oxfam has, for some years, been in the forefront when it comes to new ideas and making use of technology to further its’ corporate objectives of raising money to help stamp out hunger and poverty in the emerging Nations.
A representative of Oxfam was interviewed and pointed out that times change and Oxfam was taking advantage of new ways of raising funds – including setting up their own eBay Charity shop.
eBay has a complete section dedicated to charity auctions and even features the BBC’s famous Pudsey Bear on its’ home page to help raise public awareness of how online auctions can be a very effective way of raising funds for good causes.
So come on everyone, it’s not down to eBay Corporate to make charity fundraising on eBay a practical proposition. It’s up to you and me to do our bit too by donating items for these Charity sales. And come on BBC, let’s put a more positive slant on how the eBay community helps charities – times do change and so do the methods of raising funds for good causes.
