New figures reveal Brits are giving more to charity year on year in the lead up to the festive season. eBay data shows donations by its UK community of sellers and buyers to good causes spike in November and December. Even during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales when bargain hunting, Brits are at their most benevolent. £106,194 was donated through eBay for Charity on Black Friday in 2018 alone.
From 2011 to 2018, November was the most generous month, with an average £1,989,412 donated by UK users through eBay for Charity. December came in a close second on £1,640,618.
Through eBay for Charity, overall donations by eBay’s UK community rose by 60% from 2011 to 2018, surging from £9.27 million in 2011 to £22.91 million last year. 2019 is already on track to top that figure and that effort is about to receive a boost from eBay’s Give Day 2019. Following on from the success of the inaugural event last year, the online marketplace is once again partnering with The Prince’s Trust to raise even more money to help young entrepreneurs living in the UK.
For 24 hours this Tuesday, 3rd December, eBay UK will donate 5p for every transaction on ebay.co.uk, and 10p if a customer buys two or more items, to The Prince’s Trust*. At no cost to themselves, shoppers can tick items off their Christmas list and help raise vital funds for The Trust’s Enterprise programme, which gives young entrepreneurs aged 18-30 training, mentoring, resources and funding to support their business ideas.
Give Day 2018 saw funds of £105,000 raised for the Trust, which equated to 2,000 hours of expert mentoring by dedicated Business Launch Group members. And with this year’s eBay Give Day coinciding with global Giving Tuesday, it is hoped Brits will continue to give generously. When looking at the average funds per minute donated on Giving Tuesday 2017 (£51.33), compared to Give Day 2018 (£71.63) there was an increase of 39.5%.
Past successes of the Enterprise programme include leading entrepreneur Rob Law, who received vital support for his award-winning children’s luggage brand Trunki. Rob’s innovation was rejected on Dragons’ Den in 2006, but with support from The Prince’s Trust, he has since sold more than four million of his ride-on suitcases.
For Give Day this year eBay has collaborated with Trunki to develop a single limited edition Charlie the Dragon suitcase, and will be auctioning one Trunki signed by Welsh rugby legend Shane Williams MBE. Charlie the Dragon is exclusively available on the site with all proceeds (excluding VAT) donated to The Prince’s Trust’s work with young entrepreneurs.
Vice President of eBay UK, Rob Hattrell comments: “Customers can help change the lives of young entrepreneurs who may require a little support to help them realise their dreams, and the best part is it won’t cost them a penny. eBay has always been a friend to small businesses and we want to help the next generation by supporting The Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme this Give Day.”
Lynda McCullagh, Head of Technology Partnerships at The Prince’s Trust said: “At The Prince’s Trust we see that more and more young people in the UK are looking to take the leap to start their own business,** and our Enterprise Programme supports young people from all backgrounds to explore and venture into entrepreneurship. We are enormously grateful to eBay for their support, as funds raised on Give Day will allow us to continue to support young entrepreneurs on their road to success.”
