Five Socially Conscious Online Shopping Sites

Online consumers are becoming more aware of where their purchases come from. They want personalized shopping experiences, unique products they can't find anywhere else, and they prefer to shop on sites that are environmentally-friendly.

There are a variety of options when it comes time to shop online. This article will cover some of our favorite non-Amazon sites that offer a well-curated selection and sustainable fair trade practices.

Rakuten

Rakuten is the most well-known eCommerce marketplace in Japan. In 2019, its total merchandise sales surpassed $37 billion. This makes it a huge online marketplace in the world of international standards. The majority of Americans are familiar with Rakuten through its Ebates brand as a shopping rewards platform that provides cash back on more than 2,500 stores and brands. The majority of the other brands and services provided by Rakuten aren't as well known in North America.

Rakuten offers a range of products and features that help businesses draw and keep customers. Free shipping and return policies as well as a mobile-friendly site are among the features. Additionally, Rakuten offers a variety of advertising options to reach potential buyers. These advertising options are available to local and national retail stores.

Rakuten's extensive inventory is another reason why it an excellent option for small and medium-sized companies. Its catalog includes a large number of products, including clothing, food, and toys. This can help companies grow their revenue and create loyalty. It also offers a variety of payment options which include PayPal.

In order to make use of Rakuten users need to create an account free on the site and connect their credit card. Users can earn cash through shopping using the platform's affiliate link. Alternatively, users can download an extension for their browser that will alert users to cash back offers when they browse the internet. The company also selects one store each day to offer double cash back for all hours. Cash back is accumulated for three months and is paid out quarterly through PayPal. Recommending friends to the site is another way to earn referral bonuses. These bonuses are an excellent incentive to shop on the site.

Etsy

Etsy is a worldwide marketplace that lets small, independent crafters designers, and artists can meet with customers looking to purchase unique, hand-crafted or vintage items. The site has a broad assortment of goods that include clothing, jewelry home decor, clothing, and art. It accepts credit cards, Etsy gift certificates and various shipping methods.

It has a huge customer base and provides a variety of tools for vendors to promote their products. Its focus on vintage and handmade goods attracts a niche of loyal buyers. Its secure platform and Lamphus Solarblast 36" Led Light Bar buyer protection policies entice buyers to trust the website. It also gives sellers access to a community of other sellers who are willing to offer assistance and guidance.

The platform provides a variety of shopping and search features to assist customers in finding the perfect product. Its search feature lets users filter products by price, material, and location. Users can also save searches, items, and shops to return later. Etsy also provides a range of educational resources to help its sellers grow their businesses.

Scammers use the Etsy platform to steal customer information and even money. They can create fake listings or shop names, windscreen4Less rectangle Canopy and they frequently provide incorrect or incomplete descriptions of their products. They also attempt to deceive customers by using fake shipping addresses or offering non-reversible payment methods.

While Etsy is an excellent option for small, independent sellers, it has some disadvantages. The platform's complex algorithm can have a significant effect on sales and search results, and changes to the algorithm are usually made without notice. Its limited layout and customization options may be too restrictive for some sellers.

Made Trade

Made Trade is an online store that offers a variety of ethical and sustainable household items and fashion items. The company curates top-quality, ethically manufactured products and explains how each item is environmentally sustainable. They offer an assortment of traditional and vegan clothing, shoes, accessories and home décor items.

Made Trade was founded in 2018 by Cayley Pater and Andy Ives, two entrepreneurs with an obsession for fair trade and sustainability. Their aim was to create an online store that offers the best created, ethically and sustainably procured products.

The goal of the company is to make conscious shopping easy. Their beautiful online store makes it possible for customers to find the best sustainable home items as well as wardrobe staples and accessories to live their lives. The company's products are made from earth-friendly materials and they make sure that their employees get a fair wage and are also in secure working conditions.

Made Trade supports social enterprises and women-owned businesses, in addition to sustainable and ethical products. In fact, the majority of their suppliers are women-owned. The company is also certified to be climate neutral. This demonstrates its commitment to sustainability.

Made Trade only sells products made in the USA which means they adhere to the highest ethical standards and adhere to ethical practices for sourcing. They're committed to ensuring their makers receive a living wage and work under safe and healthy conditions. They also place a high value on sustainable growth. They also employ recycled and upcycled materials, as well as plant and mineral-based dyes, which are better for the environment than chemical dyes. Made Trade is committed to protecting animals and does not sell any products that have been tested on animals.

Better World Books

Better World Books is a socially conscious online bookshop that collects books that are used from libraries, bookstores, as well as other community members, and sells them to raise funds for literacy initiatives. The company donates the books it can't sell to literacy organizations or other causes. Better World Books is an for-profit Certified B Corporation that creates value for its clients in terms of social, economic and environmental impact.

The company is a global player and offers a variety shipping options and payment methods. Customers can select from millions of new and used titles. The company also offers frequent sitewide promotions. These are available in the Deals & Offers section of the website and are sent via text and email to customers.

In addition to being a socially conscious book retailer, Better World Books also supports literacy and sustainability initiatives. The company has partnerships with non-profit organizations, like the Internet Archive, to digitise and preserve books that could otherwise be lost or destroyed. Additionally, it is one of the very few online bookstores that offers a wide selection of ebooks and audiobooks.

Better World Books offers several programs to help students and libraries locate the best books and purchase them. The library collection program provides free shipping and returns. The collection of textbooks lets students borrow textbooks or buy them at affordable prices. Additionally, it has several other educational resources for students, including a student guide to learning. Better World Books is a top alternative to Amazon for students and librarians looking for high-quality books at a reasonable cost. It also has a wide selection of international titles that are sure to draw readers from all over the globe.

Overstock

Overstock is a retailer of closeout items, including furniture, home décor and other products. Its inventory comes from big-box stores that no longer offer the items they used to or from suppliers seeking to get rid of excess inventory. It also purchases directly from manufacturers. The company's customers can get high-quality goods at low costs.

Overstock offers many ways to shop, including a mobile app that lets shoppers visualize how furnishings will appear in their homes. Additionally, it has an augmented reality function that lets customers view 3D renderings of a variety of items, including sectional couches and memory foam mattress. This way, buyers can be sure they've picked the right product to meet their needs and avoid the hassle of returns.

Getting the inventory level right is critical to an e-commerce business. A lack of stock results in losses in sales, while excessive inventory can tie up capital and prevents new products from making it to the market. Tyco Retail Solutions conducted a recent study that found excessive stocking can cost retailers billions in lost revenue every year.

While overstocks are a regular occurrence but there are ways to stop them. One option is to utilize a warehouse management system that allows you to monitor the inventory levels and place orders at the right time. Another option is to invest in a ship-to-customer system, which will reduce warehouse storage and costs while allowing you to offer faster delivery and return options.

A listing tool that can automatically sync inventory across multiple channels is an additional way to prevent having an overstocked. Shopping Cart Elite's multichannel listing tool for instance, allows you to manage listings across Overstock and other marketplaces from a single dashboard. This tool will also help you save time by avoiding the need to manually make each listing option one at a time.