Image from ShopGoodwill.com
By Richard H. Levey
ShopGoodwill.com, the ecommerce platform used by more than 130 Goodwills across North America, is not resting on its history after 25 years in operation. The online store, which organization leaders claim was “the first e-commerce auction platform created, owned, and operated by a nonprofit organization,” is celebrating its silver anniversary by boosting its use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The site, https://shopgoodwill.com/home, grew out of a 1999 initiative by Goodwill of Orange County, California. It currently draws items from more than 2,500 Goodwill stores and generates nearly 40 million unique page views every week. In 2023, Shopgoodwill.com capped several years of double-digit sales growth with a 10% jump that landed sales at $341 million for the year.
Through the end of September 2024 year-to-date sales were up another 7.6%, to $276.2 million, with the December shopping season still ahead.
Look for that total to get a boost through technological innovation. Shopgoodwill.com leaders are beta testing a new AI tool developed in conjunction with Microsoft Tech for Social Impact. Once fully implemented, the tool is expected to streamline the process of photographing, developing, and cataloging items intended for resale.
“It will transform the listing experience and expand job opportunities,” a spokesperson told The NonProfit Times. “It uses vision on smart devices to capture images of clothing items and classify them — pulling info from material labels and tags. For individuals with disabilities, this tool will make e-commerce jobs more accessible and will help us increase clothing items listed to keep more clothes out of the landfill.”
That last comment reflects an important aspect of Shopgoodwill.com’s mission. Goodwill’s leadership estimates that more than 52 million serviceable items wound up in its stores, as opposed to dumps.
“Where ShopGoodwill.com stands out from other top resale sites is its purpose and the mission behind e-commerce,” Nicole Suydam, president and CEO of Goodwill of Orange County, said via a statement. “Every purchase on ShopGoodwill.com directly contributes to Goodwill’s life-changing workforce development and job placement programs. While sales from other secondhand sites line the pockets of investors, sales on ShopGoodwill.com positively impact communities across the U.S. and Canada. The site gives a whole new definition to conscious consumerism.”
That’s not bad for an e-commerce platform that already had racked up $2.5 billion in revenue during its first quarter-century. Much of the proceeds have funded Goodwill workforce development programs. To date, more than 5 million people have received skills and other training as a result of the programs, according to data from the organization.