eBay has launched a new "Sell for Charity" feature for Android and iOS users to make it easier to give via mobile.
The feature, launched this week for UK and US mobile users, enables sellers to activate the charity feature when uploading an item for sale. Android users are also given the ability to add a donation when they buy.
The charity giving option is already available on eBay’s website but the new mobile feature will widen the net for more sellers to give to good causes.
Two million people currently give to UK charities when they buy and sell through eBay. Children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent has run an eBay shop since 2006 in an effort to boost funds. This year the shop reached an income milestone of £1m.
Kate Apperley, eBay co-ordinator for CLIC Sargent, said the launch of the new mobile feature reflected the changing way that people give to charity.
“Our eBay shop is a brilliant way to raise the funds we need to continue supporting children and young people with cancer – last year we hit our £1million fundraising mark, and our target for this year is £200,000," she told Civil Society News.
“Until now, community sellers have only been able to choose the option to donate a percentage of the item sold to CLIC Sargent when using a computer, so the update to the app is welcome and reflects that more people are using tablets and their phones to sell and give to charity online.
“On average we raise around £500 a month from people who choose to donate to us in this way, and we’re certain that the update to the app will help us raise even more, so it’s really positive news."
The new charity app feature gives eBay's mobile users the option to select a “sell for charity” option in the preference menu, pick a charity and designate the percentage of the asking price that they would like to donate. Donations can be anything between 10 per cent and 100 per cent of the asking price.
Charity sellers will also be eligible for fee credits, to see a portion of the basic selling fees returned into their account.
Money raised will be collected by PayPal after the sale and 100 per cent of funds passed to the chosen charity.
