Ever wish you could save the environment or champion women’s rights from the confines of your own home…while shopping? You’re not alone. In fact, there’s a nonprofit organization that is reaching out to people like you to help charities in need around the world. In Use:
Upon signing up for Ching, a donor select from one of nine organizations in which their donation will go to. These nine charities range from ending child hunger to the American Red Cross. Simply select the charity you want your donation to go to and sign up by entering in your name and email address. Once you confirm your email address you will be prompted to enter in the categories that interest you the most. In a matter of days you will start receiving coupons to stores that match your interests. Whether it’s Gilt or Amazon you can use these special links to shop. Once you check out, 3% of your sale will go to the charity that you originally selected.
As to why these nine charities, CEO and founder John Suddes states, “I wanted what I felt was the best of the best in each kind of vertical.” And since its inception earlier this year, he says he’s quite pleased with the results of what he calls “purchase-driven fundraising”. When asked if he plans on adding more charities to the list Suddes said that while Ching is focused on these nine charities, adding more in the future is not out of the question.
Technology Used:
As long as a user can connect to the internet, they can use Ching.com without any hassles.
Ease of Use:
When Suddes created Ching, he wanted it to be easy for anyone to navigate. Clicking through the website, it’s safe to say he accomplished this goal. All a user has to do is log in to the website; choose their cause; sign up using their name and email address and then watch as coupons and special offers populate into their inbox roughly three times a week.
Recap:
Ching is a nonprofit organization that utilizes the power of online shopping to help charities around the world. Once signed up with Ching, a donor can use specific links to shop online. Once a donor has paid for their goods online, 3% of the total purchase goes directly to the charity of their choice. Suddes wanted to create a nonprofit aimed at millennials who wanted to help those around them with little to no effort on their part. In theory, they wouldn’t have to do anything they weren’t already doing (shopping) and in the end get great discounts off of goods and services while helping a charity of their choice.
Advantages:
Suddes realizes that Ching is lacking when it comes to only having a handful of charities for donors to choose from as well has having no further information on the charities. But, he assured me that he has many ideas for the future that will ensure that Ching stands out among their competition. To him it was more important that these nine charities got the attention they deserve before adding more charities to the mix. And for that I commend him. Many businesses try to expand too soon and it ends up hurting them in the end. By focusing on these nine charities, Ching will be able to give them the time and attention they need to resonate with potential donors. For instance, Ching aims to include personal webpages for each charity in the future as well as using different features such as direct texting.
I think that Ching is a great idea for those who don’t have time or money to volunteer or donate. This gives them a sense of purpose. I think if they can beat their competitors such as We-care and Amazon Smile which are using similar methods of fundraising, Ching can succeed.
That being said, I think it promotes a lazy attitude to volunteering. I can’t speak for all millennials, but this millennial doesn’t want to sit at home and shop to change the world. I want to actually volunteer and make a difference. Many millennials want to make a difference by being pro-active and making memories. Many millennials don’t care about “stuff”, they care about the memories they make along the way. We get a bad rap for being “lazy”, but when we are motivated, when there’s a cause that we care about -we’ll show up, front and center.
