We haven't done an investigation into these kinds of sites. Prices are usually comparable to those on non-charity sites. Usually, for for-profit businesses, the sites act as liaisons among vendors, shoppers and nonprofits. Some sell banner ads that will be viewed by the shopping hordes. But all admit that this e-philanthropy space is becoming highly competitive as more shoppers go online and become more comfortable with the whole Internet shopping experience.
Shopping can help provide that kind of bait.
This expectation of growth in online giving convinced one strictly nonprofit shopping site to enter the arena as a moneymaking proposition. 4Charity was started by Pettengill and a bunch of friends while they were MBA classmates at Stanford a year and a half ago, with the team volunteering nights and weekends to benefit the Special Olympics. Givers who shop these sites need to do their homework. You shouldn't have to search for it. Daniel Langan, director of public information for the National Charities Information Bureau, said he knew of at least one charity shopping site that had gone out of business earlier this year.