‘DONATIONSTREET’ WEBSITE PROVIDES VIRTUAL MALL FOR NON-PROFIT FUNDRAISING Organizations Tap Into Multi-Billion Dollar Online Retail Market

Released on = June 3, 2005, 12:42 pm

Press Release Author = John Sheehan / DonationStreet

Industry = Non Profit

Press Release Summary = In response to non-profit fundraising donations hitting all-time lows, West Coast entrepreneurs John Sheehan and John Lauer have created DONATIONSTREET, a web portal (www.dscoupons.com) that allows non-profit organizations to create personalized virtual shopping malls, thereby tapping into the multi-billion dollar online retail sales market.

Press Release Body = VALLEY SPRINGS, CA – In response to non-profit fundraising donations hitting all-time lows, West Coast entrepreneurs John Sheehan and John Lauer have created DONATIONSTREET, a web portal (www.dscoupons.com) that allows non-profit organizations to create personalized virtual shopping malls, thereby tapping into the multi-billion dollar online retail sales market. (Jupiter Research estimates that this market will reach $117 billion by 2008.) DonationStreet has registered over 350 top retailers – from Macy’s to Land’s End, LL Bean to Gap, Hammacher Schlemmer to Best Buy and Wal-Mart, to provide the ‘shopping experience’ for the non-profit supporters. In addition, the company employs a proprietary program that searches the internet for discount coupons, special promotions and the like, from their base of retailers. These ‘deals’ are constantly updated, insuring an incentive for repeat visitors. Shoppers access DSCOUPONS.COM through the non-profit website , saving the non-profit thousands of dollars in web set-up fees. For every purchase made through DSCOUPONS.COM, the non-profit receives a percentage and a percentage goes to the company. This fee is paid by the online retailer. “The online marketplace has been growing exponentially, while the non-profit donation base has been sliding, so this seemed to be a perfect alternative fundraising opportunity for non-profits,” said Sheehan. “It’s an incentive for
people to shop online and at the same time, support the charity or non-profit of their choice. The only obligation to the non-profit is to market the service to their constituency and supporters. We’ve made it as effortless as possible, to make the portal accessible to all non-profits, regardless of their technical sophistication.” Once an organization has joined, they can simply link through DonationStreet Links or the more technically sophisticated Town Banners, Today’s Coupons, et al. DonationStreet supplies the link code, again simplifying the technological maintenance of the site. Another important aspect of the site, unlike similar sites, is that shoppers do NOT need to register to access the shopping mall. “No one likes to ask for money – even for a good cause,” Sheehan continued, “so we thought ‘this is the perfect way for people to support their charities by simply buying what they were going to buy anyway.’” “Hopefully, everyone will see this as a win/win situation, enabling the non-profit community to increase their donor base and getting the retailers more involved with the non-profits,” said Sheehan. “We just see ourselves as a facilitator creating these vital partnerships.” Non-profit organizations can enroll by using an online form available at
http://www.dscoupons.com/enrollment.htm and contact Sheehan directly at 415-381-1514 or online at http://www.dscoupons.com/contact_us.htm.

Web Site = http://www.dscoupons.com

Contact Details = DonationStreet
27 Sterling Court
Valley Springs, CA 95252
415.381.1514
Email: http://www.dscoupons.com/contact_us.htm