Eliminating the Risk of Backfire with Customer Donations

Those who are living financially stable life are always eager to write a few checks for donations. It helps them to achieve inner satisfaction when they help someone in need. But on the other side, if they are asked to donate at the shopping counter, most of them would hate the idea.

A study reveals that customers who are asked for donations at the grocery store are likely to decrease the revisits to the store, or they won’t recommend the same for others. It may lead to loss of trust and bring many dislikes for the retailer.

The stores need to follow a trustworthy strategy for inspiring customers to donate while minimizing backlash risk. Here we have listed few trusted ideas to help you increase participation for donations:

  • Reward customers:
    When you ask customers for donations at checkout, making a few additional efforts for their satisfaction is also essential. It would be best if you offered them something in return for their contribution. Many people would love to help the children in need or support the donation’s cause, and they may not require a reward for their deeds. But your store must be ready to offer something in return for their charity.
  • Choose the best donation methods:
    Not all retail stores can benefit from the same donation methods. You may need to give the customers flexible options while showing them the difference in how it will go to the designated charity. Make sure you create a less painful request and display the effectiveness of the program. Some retailers may recognize the donations on a balloon, and others may love to add extra bells to the program.
  • Train employees:
    A charity or donation program’s success depends upon how well your employees can deal with the scenario. If your employees offer customers high quality and genuinely satisfactory experience, they may donate with a smile. The idea is to establish a healthy relationship between employees and customers with superior service. Consumers that feel grateful for your services may always love to collaborate for your charity programs.
  • Be transparent:
    Show that you are genuinely committed to social responsibility. Your brand should associate with that fact somehow so that customers can trust your campaign. It would be best if you were loud about this aspect; put signage at your store, make it a part of your advertising campaigns, and show how well every penny will be utilized to welfare some needy people. It would help if you also were donating a portion of your sales or profits to the same cause; this idea can influence customers to show their involvement.
  • Choose the right partner:
    Customers are likely to give a thought to the partnership between a retail store and a nonprofit. The two organizations must be working on the same space so that the campaign could sound compelling and relatable. When the cause and effect and connected, consumers can develop a positive mindset about your donation campaigns.

These simple tips and tricks can help you avoid backlash for customer donations while ensuring great returns from every fundraising campaign.