In the nonprofit world, it’s common to have a fundraising strategy fueled by monetary donations. However, between product fundraisers, in-person or virtual auctions, clothing drives, and other initiatives, tangible items play a large role in raising support for your nonprofit.

Online stores in particular offer an additional stream of revenue for your nonprofit to raise much-needed funds. Every purchase boosts not only revenue but also awareness of your cause, which is why it’s so important to offer the right items. After all, your supporters are more likely to purchase items that appeal to their interests.

In this guide, we’ll explore the most effective items your nonprofit can sell through its online store. But first, let’s review a few best practices to keep in mind when selecting and selling items.

Best Practices for Selling Items

Before deciding which items you’ll sell in your online store, there are a few best practices you can follow to set your store up for success:

  • Implement intuitive software: The right platform will help you design your storefront, customize your catalog, and monitor sales. Plus, if you choose an all-in-one solution that offers auction software, text-to-give functionality, and other tools, you’ll have the features necessary to host additional fundraisers alongside your online store.
  • Prioritize accessibility: Optimize donors’ experience when interacting with your online store by improving accessibility, or making it easy to use for people of all abilities. This could include using high-contrast colors or adding alternative (alt) text to images. Supporters will be more willing to make a purchase when it’s easy to navigate and interact with your store.
  • Promote your online store: To drive traffic to your online store, you’ll need to promote it effectively. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a helpful, low-cost strategy for improving your store’s visibility by optimizing your website to rank highly on the search engine results page (SERP) for cause-related keywords. This allows your inventory to land on the screens of individuals who may have never even heard of your organization.

Once you’ve established these best practices for your online store, you’ll have the foundation to support a growing inventory of enticing items!

4 Online Store Items to Sell

1. Branded merchandise

If you’ve ever hosted a product fundraiser, you know that branded merchandise is a staple when it comes to raising awareness of your cause. When supporters purchase these items, they won’t just help fund your nonprofit—they’ll also become ambassadors for your brand by wearing clothing items and using items branded to your organization.

Create popular items styled according to your nonprofit’s branding, such as:

  • T-shirts
  • Hats
  • Tote bags
  • Water bottles
  • Mugs

Work with your marketing team to decide which products and designs would best represent your brand. Additionally, you can contact a product fundraising partner to create and order the items you settle on. As supporters wear and use these items, they’ll represent your cause wherever they go, helping to extend your nonprofit’s reach.

2. Cause-related products

Your nonprofit’s audience is composed of unique supporters with an affinity for your cause. As such, they’ll be interested in items specific to your cause and willing to make a purchase that’s directly tied to your mission.

Snowball Fundraising gives this example: a local school’s fundraising audience is different from that of a large-scale nonprofit. While students’ parents might be interested in purchasing school supplies such as notebooks, supporters of a large-scale environmental nonprofit, for example, might be more concerned with minimizing their paper trail. Similarly, supporters of an animal welfare organization may get excited about dog collars, cat toys, and other animal-related items.

For cause-related items, highlight the story behind each product and explain how purchasing them directly supports your cause to create a sense of impact for shoppers. This way, you’ll create a tangible connection between the buyer and your organization’s work, reinforcing your supporters’ commitment to your mission.

3. Event tickets and experiences

To engage supporters beyond a one-time purchase, sell tickets to your nonprofit’s events or exclusive experiences. This purchase secures a future interaction with the donor, making it likely that your nonprofit can engage them again in the future.

Plus, fundraising events can bring in even more revenue when paired with a concurrent campaign, such as a text-to-give fundraiser. This way, you’ll open the gateway to even more potential donations.

  • Behind-the-scenes tours of your facilities
  • Meet-and-greet opportunities with key figures in your organization
  • Exclusive galas or dinners with a notable speaker and limited number of guests
  • Fundraising activities such as fun runs or walk-a-thons

Consider bundling tickets with exclusive merchandise or offering early-bird pricing to boost sales. For example, your nonprofit could offer a bundle that includes admission to your 5k race and a pair of socks branded to your organization to wear on race day at a discounted price!

4. Educational resources

Along with securing their monetary support through a purchase, your nonprofit should also educate shoppers about the cause to win continued support. While you should offer some free resources, such as an information packet about your mission and history, you can place tangentially related resources behind a paywall to raise funds through education.

For example, your online store could offer:

  • Online courses and e-books on topics related to your cause
  • Virtual workshops led by industry experts
  • Downloadable guides with actionable insights about your nonprofit’s work

Through these resources, shoppers can learn about your nonprofit’s industry and the challenges that your organization aims to overcome. This helps supporters better understand your cause and fundraising needs, as well as positions your nonprofit as a thought leader in your area of focus. Plus, you can offer these resources with low overhead costs and deliver them instantly to avoid shipping concerns.

Remember to make giving easy and compelling for shoppers by offering high-quality content. Collaborate with industry experts and educators who can offer exclusive insights. Also, consider offering a preview or sample of the course to entice buyers.

Just as your fundraising events and campaigns require meaningful follow-up, you’ll need to procure donor recognition items to show your appreciation for their purchases from your online store. Thank donors for supporting your cause by throwing in extra items such as personalized letters or certificates.

eCardWidget suggests sending thank-you eCards directly to supporters from beneficiaries. This shows donors the tangible impact they’ve made through their contributions and strengthens their connection to your cause! As a result, you won’t just sell items to supporters—you’ll cultivate a loyal base of support upon which your nonprofit can build lasting and fruitful relationships.