eBay may have become a regular part of many individuals lives, but charities have something to gain from the online auction site too. Carrie Bienkowski explains how charities can use the site, and some tricks to make sure you get the best return on your stock.   

A growing number of charities now recognise online trading as a significant fundraising opportunity. Online shopping recently reached its highest growth in two years. UK shoppers spent £4.5bn online in May 2010, 22 per cent up on the previous year. While eager to target these consumers, many charities have been held back by a lack of infrastructure, perceived lack of skills, and the expense and difficulty of generating significant buyer traffic to their websites. As the UK’s number one ecommerce site, with 18 million active users, eBay for Charity enables charities of all sizes to take advantage of the power of the internet and directly engage with potential donors while they shop online.