eBay just made it easier to give to charity--and more effective, too. Since 2000, the online auctioneer has helped raise more than $81 million for charity, which includes vendors donating part of
their sales to nonprofits, and charities that sell items directly on eBay. A new program, effective Oct., gives sellers an incentive to be charitable--waiving the same percentage of the profit that
was donated from their seller's fee. If you give 30 percent of your profit to charity, eBay will waive 30 percent of your fee. For charities that sell items on eBay's Giving Works program, there is no
fee. "Interest from nonprofits has been amazing," says Kristin Cunningham, senior manager of Giving Works. "Among people who are always having to ask for a check, anything that puts a new spin on
fund-raising can be exciting." Plus, it's exponentially more effective, especially if celebrities are involved. Investor-billionaire Warren Buffett used to auction off a lunch with himself, giving the
proceeds to a charity that helps the poor. It used to raise about $27,000. After Buffett moved the auction to eBay four years ago, it started going for around $250,000. This year, it raised $620,100.
Now, Buffett is auctioning off all kinds of things on eBay, from his car to his wallet, for various charities.
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