Assuming they’ve selected a good organization to donate to, that’s a shame - especially for local charities that really benefit from the money.
The whole point is that it’s a “rounding error” for the customer, but it adds up. If you round up 50 cents for 50 grocery trips a year, that’s only $25. If 2,000 other customers do it, that’s a $50,000 donation from just one store.
I don’t donate directly to anything, unfortunately, so if I see a good cause like St. Jude or a local charity at checkout, sure I’ll round up.
I think there’s a bit of a difference paying cash vs. card — with cash, rounding errors basically mean, “this money will go to a cause rather than get lost in my couch cushions.” With a card, the rounding errors add up — for the charity, yes, but also for the customer.
I think another point is, why isn’t the large corporation using their rounding errors instead of mine?
They do make their own donations, separately, often. Customers’ donations are just another way.
I guess think of it from the charity’s perspective. Checkout donations are steady fundraising for them that supplements their other more sporadic and difficult fundraising attempts. I imagine they solicit the stores to do this for them when they’re not organizing 5Ks and hosting dinners for rich people.
If it’s upsetting that stores get to promote themselves for doing it, then just donate directly. Same difference.
Assuming they’ve selected a good organization to donate to, that’s a shame - especially for local charities that really benefit from the money.
The whole point is that it’s a “rounding error” for the customer, but it adds up. If you round up 50 cents for 50 grocery trips a year, that’s only $25. If 2,000 other customers do it, that’s a $50,000 donation from just one store.
I don’t donate directly to anything, unfortunately, so if I see a good cause like St. Jude or a local charity at checkout, sure I’ll round up.
I think there’s a bit of a difference paying cash vs. card — with cash, rounding errors basically mean, “this money will go to a cause rather than get lost in my couch cushions.” With a card, the rounding errors add up — for the charity, yes, but also for the customer.
I think another point is, why isn’t the large corporation using their rounding errors instead of mine?
But to each their own of course.
They do make their own donations, separately, often. Customers’ donations are just another way.
I guess think of it from the charity’s perspective. Checkout donations are steady fundraising for them that supplements their other more sporadic and difficult fundraising attempts. I imagine they solicit the stores to do this for them when they’re not organizing 5Ks and hosting dinners for rich people.
If it’s upsetting that stores get to promote themselves for doing it, then just donate directly. Same difference.