Online shopping giant Amazon has today launched an online giving service, AmazonSmile in the UK, which donates a percentage of the purchase cost of millions of products to charity.
Customers can shop through smile.amazon.co.uk and donate to a choice of ten UK charities while doing so. Purchases made through AmazonSmile cost the same as through the standard Amazon website, with 0.5 per cent of the net purchase price of eligible products going to charity. The percentage excludes VAT, shipping costs and returns.
AmazonSmile launched in the United States four years ago and has so far raised $62m (£47.4m) for charity.
The ten charities that customers can choose to donate to are: British Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie, the Royal British Legion, RSPCA, Save the Children, Stonewall, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity, Magic Breakfast, and Scottish Women’s Aid.
Doug Gurr, UK country manager at Amazon, said: “We’re offering a simple way for customers to support good causes ahead of the busiest shopping period of the year. Over time, we hope to see similar success here as in the US, where over $62 million has been donated to over 230,000 charities since launching.”
Early next year, all registered charities in the UK will be able to apply to be part of AmazonSmile.
Rebecca Mauger, director of fundraising at the British Red Cross, said: “We believe small acts of kindness can make a huge difference. Working with AmazonSmile provides a new way for people to support the Red Cross, helping us reach even more people in crisis in the UK and overseas.”
Ben France, head of corporate partnerships for the Royal British Legion, said: “We are proud to be a beneficiary of AmazonSmile and offer Amazon customers a simple and regular way to support us. The Legion’s work is made possible thanks to the public’s generous support and the money raised from customers using AmazonSmile will help us provide hope and support to the Armed Forces community wherever it’s needed.”
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