Transforming the UK’s biggest gift appeal with Amazon Business

Mission Christmas, which has been running for over 30 years, enables individuals, community groups and businesses to support children living in poverty, or from families that cannot afford the luxury of presents. The primary way of supporting the campaign has always been to encourage donors to purchase an extra gift and drop it off at donation sites across the country. These are then collected and redistributed to children at-risk of waking up to nothing on Christmas Day. It’s a huge logistical operation.

With the need for presents growing every year, and since the change in buying habits exacerbated by COVID-19, it was time for a new approach to complement the in-person drop-off locations. The Cash for Kids team needed a procurement partner that could help them develop an online gift donation model that could be scaled up when needed, and make it as easy as possible for those who wanted to give back.

So, the charity partnered with Amazon Business to make it possible for people to donate gifts entirely online from pre-defined lists – getting gifts to more children, making donating quick and easy, and minimising the time and effort required by donors.

After familiarising ourselves with the charity’s immediate needs and understanding the fact that Mission Christmas may grow to be even bigger in the future, Amazon Business built a ‘world-first’ Amazon API: a bespoke gift list which simultaneously processes donations and fulfils deliveries.

This product differs from the typical Amazon Wishlist to allow Cash for Kids to streamline and digitise the first half of the physical gift-giving process. And it didn’t take long to decide on the name: the ‘Mission Christmas Gift List’.
Here’s how it works:

• Mission Christmas shares a link to the gift list with would-be donors
• Donors browse and choose gifts via a simple shopping experience
• After they place an order, Amazon logistics works out how best to distribute and deliver the gifts

Not only has the solution helped Cash for Kids enhance their festive efforts, but it’s also allowed them to streamline their online gift donation processes and swiftly redistribute gifts and funds to those in need.

By seamlessly integrating Cash for Kids’ own digital giving platform ‘Giving is Easy’ with the existing Amazon Business platform, those on the delivery side of Mission Christmas were able to streamline operations and avoid additional complexities in sourcing external suppliers and auditing them. Simply put, the Cash for Kids team is able to focus on delivering Mission Christmas and making sure all the donated gifts reach children in time for Christmas. And, because the charity can now share gift lists via a simple link, it’s easier for them to approach corporate partners and engage with supporters on social media.

Last year, Amazon Business’ partnership with Cash for Kids resulted in over 30,000 gifts being delivered with a value of nearly £560,000. In fact, the collaboration was so successful that it was shortlisted in two categories at the Charity Times Awards: Digital Campaign of the Year and Digital Transformation of the Year. Donations are already well underway for 2023.

Moving forward, Amazon Business hope to be there every step of the way.

Darren Fowler, Cash for Kids Digital Director, says the charity aims to work with Amazon Business to fulfil additional procurement needs in the future. This may include creating solutions that address holiday hunger, period poverty, and the needs of children with disabilities who require specific equipment.

“Working with Amazon Business is the fastest way to turn new procurement requirements around and gain essential support for fulfilment and delivery logistics. So far, the partnership has absolutely transformed our online gift distribution process. It all boils down to efficiency – the speed with which people can choose and send donations, and the added efficiency of removing a large part of the physical journey.”

Fabricio Pedroza, Director - Amazon Business UK&I, says “For us, it was not only about giving Cash for Kids the logistical apparatus to make giving easy, but also delivering a new digital service that would engage broader audiences and gain the reach they needed to fuel the campaign’s success. Being able to dramatically cut down the time it takes for potential donors to take action – and reduce the amount of internal time it takes the team at Cash for Kids to support this – has been a huge step forward.”

Sally Aitchison MBE, Managing Director of Cash for Kids, is at the helm when it comes to helping more children feel the magic of Christmas.

“The impact on our donors and beneficiaries was incredible. To be able to help so many children in the current climate is testament to the work of my team, our digital strategy, and our partnership with Amazon Business.”

To explore the Mission Christmas Gift List and purchase a gift for a child in need, follow this link:

https://www.cashforkidsgive.co.uk/donate/mission-christmas-2023-gift-list/

To find out how Amazon Business – the Amazon B2B business supplies store – could help your organisation streamline processes, focus on growth, and achieve your own mission, find out more here:

https://business.amazon.co.uk/