Shippo Customer Highlight: 6 E-commerce Businesses Who Are Giving To Charity This Holiday And Beyond

‘Tis the season for snowy days spent indoors, peppermint mocha lattes by a warm fireplace, and most of all for spreading holiday cheer. One of the best ways to spread that holiday cheer is to give back to those less fortunate. But for some e-commerce merchants, charity is built into their businesses’ foundation year-round.

These merchants don’t have to live in the north pole and travel the world in a night to put a smile on people’s faces. Instead, they donate to causes in several ways and let those at philanthropic organizations do what they do best.

We’ll highlight some of our favorite Shippos who are all giving back to noble causes in unique ways all year long because the most wonderful time of the year doesn’t have to be just now.

How Giving Back Helps Your E-commerce Business

While it may seem like an added cost of business, there are a number of different reasons why giving back and contributing to charitable causes can help your e-commerce business.

In fact, given equal quality and price, 80% of Americans would likely switch brands if one of them supports a charitable cause. Some of the best reasons why e-commerce merchants should give back include:

• Increased Sales: Buyers spend 26% more when their sale is going towards a charitable cause.
• Increased Customer Loyalty: About 47% of consumers across the globe have reported they would be more loyal to a company that supports a cause close to their heart.
• Tax Deductions: The money your business donates to nonprofits and charities is tax-deductible, meaning you can lower your taxable income.
• Company Morale: Roughly 90% of employees who work for companies that invest in charitable organizations say they are proud of their employer.

Shippo Customers Who Are Giving Back

For some e-commerce businesses, giving back is at the foundation of their business model. As a shining example of what giving back in the e-commerce space looks like, here’s a look at out what some of our customers are doing to perpetuate the holiday spirit all year long.

Malicious Women Co. | “Sassy” Candles, Cosmetics, Jewelry, And More

When it comes to Malicious Women Co (MWC), the idea of giving back was prevalent at the start of their business.

MWC was founded by Lacie Marsh-Carroll, after a dear friend of hers lost her battle against depression and took her own life. As a way to honor her, Lacie made candles so that the world could still have her light. But, that passion for making candles grew in the process.

After Lacie gave her candles as gifts to her friends, the demand for more candles grew and eventually formed the business operating today. Now, MWC sells more than just candles, offering “sassy” clothing, cosmetics, perfumes, and more.

As of March 21, 2019, Malicious Women Co. partnered with Pledging so that a portion of the proceeds from every item sold can automatically be donated to suicide prevention programs, most notably the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Austin’s WearABLE Art | Homemade Jewelry

Austin’s WearABLE Art has an origin story unlike many other e-commerce businesses. The business was started by Austin Wear, a very talented young man diagnosed with autism, moderate intellectual disability, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety disorder.

One of Austin’s OCD habits is frequent counting and sequencing. After being introduced to making beaded bracelets in 2016, he found that he was able to count and make patterns with a purpose.

Now, the unique homemade jewelry that is therapeutic for Austin to make can be worn proudly by people all over the world.

This e-commerce business has chosen to support a charitable cause that’s close to home. As part of every purchase, a minimum of 10% of the proceeds are donated to organizations that help enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Some of these organizations include Autism Speaks, Autism Service Dogs of America, Special Olympics, and Ability Experience.

Vontelle | Eyewear Culture For The Brave And Bold

Vontelle isn’t just an ordinary eyewear e-commerce business. Both the optical glasses and sunglasses featured on Vontelle come in bold and unique designs that highlight the sense of eyewear culture.

But, while Vontelle’s products help customers see the world better and look their best, their business also makes sure that children and families in need are not overlooked.

By partnering with the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation as well as other organizations and optometrists such as Optical Academy and ClearVision, Vontelle has been able to provide free eye exams and frames to families at Women in Need (Win) – the largest provider of shelter and services for homeless families in New York City.

Vontelle has been featured in Uptown Magazine and Instyle Magazine, but best of all, with every purchase they are able to donate a pair of glasses to families in homeless shelters.

Tartan Blanket Co. | Traditional Tartan And Contemporary Designs

Founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, Tartan Blanket Co. has taken a modern approach to the iconic tartan design the country is known for. While they specialize in wool and cashmere blankets, they also sell other sustainably-sourced products such as scarves, gloves, hats, and more.

At the start of their e-commerce business, Tartan Blanket Co. has set out to be a Positive Impact company. Their commitment to the environment and local communities can be seen throughout their supply chain.

They use biodegradable packaging, ship their products by sea instead of planes, source their materials from local families in India and Inner Mongolia, and offer recycled blankets that are made from 100% recycled articles of clothing without sacrificing the quality of their product.

They have since launched their 1% for the planet, 1% for the people initiative. This means for every purchase they are donating 1% to organizations that protect the environment and 1% will go to charities that help those in need.

Bracha | Accessible Jewelry With Freedom In Mind

Bracha was founded in 2012 by sisters Sayra and Michelle. Inspired by their grandmother’s style and love of natural stones, the duo has built a brand around jewelry that is not only affordable but, can also be worn no matter what the current fashion trends are.

Along with their e-commerce business, Bracha is now sold in over 500 retail locations nationwide, including Nordstrom. But Bracha’s mission is more than just selling quality jewelry.

Bracha is on a mission to help in the fight against human trafficking. The business donates to organizations that help in the fight such as Chain Reaction, The A21 Campaign, and others.

Bracha believes that all women have a right to feel beautiful, strong, and free. They encourage their customers to share their jewelry on social media and use #WEARIT2ENDIT to spread their message.

Kikos Coffee And Tea | Single Origin Coffee & Tea

Kikos Coffee And Tea started operating in 2018 with a vision to bring quality coffee to the Boston area that would represent Colombian culture as well.

They’ve since expanded their line of products to include teas, coffee/tea accessories, clothing, and more. They also sell their products wholesale for retail stores and sell their individual products throughout the country online.

Kikos isn’t just your ordinary coffee seller. Kikos is also proud to be MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) Certified as well as LGBTBE (LGBT Business Enterprise) Certified. They also support charitable organizations both in the U.S. and in Colombia.

Their commitment to giving back is built into the customer journey on their site. When purchasing any products, customers can click the option to add EcoCart (a Shippo partner) when viewing their shopping cart in order to make their purchase carbon neutral.

Within the shopping cart, customers can also score 10% off of their purchase with a simple $2 donation to the charities Kikos supports. Those charities include the Impact U Foundation and Voces Latinas.

There are plenty of ways e-commerce merchants can give back and contribute to charitable causes this holiday season and beyond. These are just a few examples from Shippo users on how to achieve that goal.

Sign up to Shippo for free today and join the many charitable e-commerce brands using our platform to get the best rates at the most carriers.