BY ASHLEY CURRIE
Many people love online shopping for the ease of use and convenience; however, there are also those people who love shopping at downtown boutiques and local businesses so they can do their part to help their local community. Now, thanks to www.givebackvillage.com, which launched their online shopping platform on March 3, shoppers can have the best of both worlds.
At givebackvillage.com shoppers can purchase gift cards and vouchers at discounted prices. The thing that makes this site different than others such as groupon.com is the local aspect. The people at givebackvillage.com purchase their gift certificates and vouchers from small local businesses at a discounted price so they can sell them to you at a discount as well. When shopping at givebackvillage customers are benefitting small business owners in Guelph.
On the website you pay a discounted price such as $20 for a full value gift card of $25. This means that even though you are spending less money you can still redeem the full value of the gift card at participating store locations.
In addition, givebackvillage helps support local charities and non-profit organizations. According to the website, “all of the net surplus funds raised from this social enterprise are donated back to our local charities and non-profit organizations.”
There are currently over 35 charities and organizations working with givebackvillage including Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis, The Guelph Youth Music Centre and Habitat for Humanity of Wellington Dufferin Guelph.
Also, if you own or operate a non-profit group and you become a member of the website you can have your name listed on a menu that allows customers to donate three per cent of their purchase total directly to your charity.
Grace Simon, a Guelph resident, said she thinks the website is a great idea.
“I hear all the time about how downtown businesses are losing customers to big stores like Wal-Mart. This website seems like a great idea to help get shoppers back in the doors of Guelph shops.”
Jordan Brown, another Guelph resident, said he loves that this website supports local charities and non-profit organizations.
“It’s great that I can purchase local items for a discount but knowing that my money is going to help not just charities, but local charities, makes me really feel good about purchasing at givebackvillage.”
For more information, or to see what products and services are available, visit www.givebackvillage.com.