Amazon has recently rolled out a new charitable foundation called AmazonSmile that offers charitable rewards for those who sign up and link their Amazon purchases to the charity of their choice. When I signed up, it took a matter of minutes to sign up, select my church as recipient of the .5% of each purchase, and get back to shopping.
It's simple. People shop through a special url smile.amazon.com and select a charity then any purchases they make via AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% to any charity of your choice.
Amazon has badges charitable organizations can place on their websites to direct people to link up their Amazon accounts. It's a really simple way to encourage giving without the shopper really having to do anything except remember to shop through the AmazonSmile site. If you follow a link from a website or blog, Amazon will pop up a screen to ask you if you'd like to shop through Smile. So even if you forget, Amazon is there to remind you!
I LOVE easy ways for people to donate that do not take additional time and resources. This is another example of technology making donations easy!
Below are a few more details directly from the Amazon website to help you understand this program more fully:
What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from nearly one million organizations to support.
How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to AmazonSmile to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?
Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible.
Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?
Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.
How do I select a charitable organization to support when shopping on AmazonSmile?
On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. We will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make on AmazonSmile will result in a donation.
Can I change my charity?
Yes, you can change your charity any time. Your AmazonSmile purchases after the change count towards your newly selected charity. To change your charity, sign in to smile.amazon.com on your desktop or mobile phone browser and simply select “Change your Charity” in “Your Account.”
What charities can I choose from?
You can choose from almost one million eligible 501(c)(3) public charitable organizations. What if my selected charity does not register to participate in the AmazonSmile program or becomes ineligible?
If an organization does not register to participate or becomes ineligible, you will have a chance to select a different organization or we will redistribute donations earned among other organizations receiving donations.
If I represent a charitable organization, how can I learn more about registering my organization for AmazonSmile?
Go to org.amazon.com to learn how to register your organization to receive donations.
How much of my purchase does Amazon donate?
The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, or service charges. From time to time, we may offer special, limited time promotions that increase the donation amount on one or more products or services or provide for additional donations to charitable organizations. Special terms and restrictions may apply. Please see the relevant promotion for complete details.
What are you waiting for? Get your church set up right now.
Have you checked out iMyne? I happen to serve as the marketing arm for the company and wanted to share with you (hopefully for a future post!). There is more of an incentive to use iMyne because, as the consumer, I can support my favorite cause automatically with a larger donation percentage AND earn cash rewards for myself! Plus, I am not just limited to Amazon. There are many other retailers to choose from, including Amazon. The website is http://www.imyne.com.