eBay Community Gives Record $36 Million to Nonprofits in 2008

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--eBay (Nasdaq:EBAY) sellers and buyers gave a record $36 million to U.S. nonprofit organizations in 2008 through eBay Giving Works, which makes it easy to donate to nearly 15,000 organizations across the country while on eBay. Donations were up almost 20 percent in 2008, with nearly 1.5 million people supporting their favorite causes.

“The eBay community is incredibly generous and committed to making a difference”

“The eBay community is incredibly generous and committed to making a difference,” said eBay Inc. CEO John Donahoe. “Through eBay Giving Works, their impressive generosity in these difficult times is inspiring.”

eBay Giving Works offers a variety of convenient and trusted ways to donate to certified nonprofits across a variety of causes that participate in the program. One of the most popular ways to support these organizations is for an eBay seller to donate part, or all, of a listed item’s sale price to a participating nonprofit of their choice. These listings receive a special eBay Giving Works ribbon icon, helping cause-conscious buyers easily find opportunities to support nonprofits while shopping for great deals on eBay. For more information, visit www.ebaygivingworks.com.

“eBay Giving Works is a win-win on so many levels,” said Mike Jansma, a PowerSeller on eBay. “It allows us to easily support the nonprofit groups we believe in, our customers benefit because they help important causes through their purchases, our employees find their work more meaningful, and our business benefits from the sales and customer loyalty.”

Nonprofits have found the program to be a powerful way for them to not only raise funds, but to connect with their members as well. “In an economic climate like this, it’s even more important for our organization to maintain a relationship with our donor base,” said Donna Callejon, Chief Operating Officer for GlobalGiving. “eBay Giving Works gives our supporters additional options to help out—in a way that’s best for their financial situation—which allows them to stay involved no matter what.”

Fast Facts about eBay Giving Works

• Every minute, over $68 is raised for good causes on eBay and a donation is made every 24 seconds.
• Eight nonprofits in the US have raised more than $1M with eBay Giving Works
• The most money raised for charity from a single listing on eBay was $2.1M, for a power lunch with Warren Buffett benefiting the Glide Foundation.

About eBay

Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people around the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate together. eBay Inc. does this by providing the Internet platforms of choice for global commerce, payments and communications. Since its inception, eBay Inc. has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Shopping.com, and others. eBay Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California.