Five Socially Conscious Online Shopping Sites

Online consumers are becoming more conscious of the source of their purchases. 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 to shop online. This article will highlight some of our top non-Amazon websites that offer well-curated selection and sustainable fair trade practices.

Rakuten

Rakuten is the biggest eCommerce marketplace in Japan. In 2019, its total merchandise sales exceeded $37 billion. It's a huge online marketplace in the international sense. Most Americans are familiar with Rakuten from its Ebates brand, a shopping rewards platform which offers 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.

In addition to providing an array of products, Rakuten has many features that allow businesses to attract and retain 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 both local and national retail stores.

The vast inventory available at Rakuten is another reason why it a fantastic option for small- and medium-sized business. Its catalog includes a broad range of products including clothing, food, and toys. This helps businesses grow their revenue and create loyalty. It also offers a variety of payment options which include PayPal.

To make use of Rakuten users need to first sign up for a free Rakuten account and connect their credit card. Then, they can earn cash when they shop using the platform's affiliate link. Users can also download a browser add-on that alerts them when cash back offers are available when they browse the internet. The company also picks one store every day to give double cash back for all hours of the day. Cash back is earned over three months, and then paid quarterly via PayPal. You can also earn referral bonus by sending friends to the site. These bonuses are an excellent incentive to shop on the site.

Etsy

Etsy is an online marketplace that connects independent small crafters as well as artists and designers with customers looking to buy unique, handmade or vintage products. The site has a broad range of items, including jewelry, clothing as well as home decor and art. It also offers a variety of shipping options and accepts various payment options such as credit cards and Etsy gift cards.

It has a significant customer base and provides a variety of tools for vendors to promote their products. Its focus on vintage and handmade items attracts a small group of dedicated buyers. Its secure platform and Nitelighter White Halogen buyer protection policies encourage buyers to trust the site. Sellers are also provided with access to a community of fellow sellers who are able to provide assistance and support.

The platform provides a variety of search and shopping features to assist customers in finding the perfect product. The search function lets users filter products by price or material as well as location. It can also be used to save shops, items, and searches to revisit later. Etsy also offers a wide range of educational tools to aid sellers in growing their businesses.

Scammers take advantage of the Etsy platform in order to steal money and customer information. They may use fake shop names or listings and list their items with inaccurate or insufficient descriptions. They also try to deceive people by using fraudulent shipping addresses or offering non-reversible payment options.

Although Etsy is a great option for small, independent sellers, it has a few disadvantages. The platform's complex algorithm can have a major impact on sales and search results, and modifications to the algorithm are often made without notice. Its limited layout and customization options could be limiting for some sellers.

Made Trade

Made Trade is a store online that offers a variety of sustainable and ethical products for the home and fashion. Made Trade only offers high-quality ethically-made products and gives a description of the ways in which each product is sustainable. They offer an assortment of heritage and vegan clothing shoes, accessories, and home decorating items.

Cayley Pater who is a committed environmentalist and Andy Ives founded Made Trade in the year 2018. Both entrepreneurs are passionate about fair trade and sustainability. They wanted to establish a shop that offered products that were sustainable and ethically procured, as well as beautifully designed.

The company's goal is to make buying mindfully effortless. Their well-curated online store lets customers find the most sustainable home products, wardrobe essentials, and accessories that match their lifestyles. Their products are all made with earth-friendly materials, and they strive to ensure that their workers earn a decent wage and are provided with safe working conditions.

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

Made Trade carries only USA made products, Houzer Medallion Sink which means they adhere to strict ethical standards and use responsible sourcing processes. They're committed to ensuring that their workers are paid an adequate and reasonable wage, are employed in safe and healthy conditions, and they are committed to sustainable growth for their business. They also employ recycled and upcycled materials, Luxury Cosmetic Organizer as also mineral and plant-based dyes, which are better for the environment than chemical dyes. Made Trade is committed to protecting animals and will not sell products that have been tested on animals.

Better World Books

Better World Books is a socially conscious online bookstore that collects books that are used from libraries, bookstores, and other members of the community and sells them in an effort to raise money for literacy initiatives. The company also donates books that are not able to be sold to literacy projects and other causes. Better World Books is an for-profit Certified B Corporation that creates value for its customers in terms of social, economic and environmental impact.

The company has an international presence, and offers a variety of shipping options and payment methods. Customers can choose from millions of used and new titles and frequently offers special promotions for its entire website. These are available in the Deals & Offers section of the website. They 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 partnered up with non-profit organizations like the Internet Archive to digitise books which would otherwise be destroyed or lost. In addition, it is one of the very few online bookstores that offer an extensive selection of audiobooks and ebooks.

Better World Books offers several programs that help students and libraries locate the best books and purchase them. The library collection program offers free shipping and returns, while its textbook collection program lets students to rent or buy textbooks at a reasonable cost. Furthermore, it has numerous other educational resources available for students, including its student guide to learning. Better World Books is a popular alternative to Amazon for librarians and students looking for high-quality books at an affordable price. It also has a wide selection of international titles that will attract readers from all over the world.

Overstock

Overstock is an online retailer of clearance furniture, home decor and other items. 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 stock. It also buys directly from manufacturers. Customers can purchase high-quality products at low costs.

Overstock offers many ways to shop with a mobile app that lets shoppers imagine how furniture would appear in their homes. It also has an augmented reality feature that allows shoppers to see 3D renderings for thousands of furniture items like sectional couches and memory foam mattress. This way, customers can be confident they've chosen the best product for their needs, and avoid the hassle of returning.

The management of inventory is vital to the success of an ecommerce business. A low inventory level can lead to lost sales. On the other the other hand, a high inventory level can hinder the development of new products and hinder access to markets. A recent study by Tyco Retail Solutions found that overstock costs retailers billions of dollars every year in lost revenue.

Overstocked items are not uncommon however, there are ways to prevent them. A warehouse management system allows you to manage inventory and order at the appropriate time. Another option is to invest in the ship-to-customer model. This can reduce storage and warehouse costs while providing speedier shipping and return options.

Another way to avoid overstock is to utilize a listing tool that can automatically sync inventory across different marketplace channels. Shopping Cart Elite's multichannel listing tool, for instance, allows you to manage listings across Overstock and other marketplaces on one dashboard. This tool will reduce time by eliminating the requirement to manually enter each listing option.