Five Socially Conscious Online Shopping Sites

Online customers 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 popular eCommerce marketplace in Japan. The gross merchandise sales it made in 2019 surpassed $37 billion. It is a massive online marketplace according to international standards. Rakuten is most well-known to Americans through its Ebates brand. This shopping rewards platform offers cash back on more than 2,500 stores and brands. However, the majority of the other brands and services offered by the company aren't as well-known in North America.

Rakuten offers a variety of products and features that can help businesses draw and keep customers. Free shipping and return policies as well as mobile-friendly sites are just a few of the features. In addition, Rakuten offers a variety of advertising options to get potential buyers to consider purchasing. These advertising options are available for both national and local retailers.

Another feature of Rakuten is its extensive selection of products, which makes it a fantastic choice for small and medium-sized businesses. Its catalog has a vast range of products, such as clothing, food, and toys. This helps businesses increase their revenue and also builds loyalty. Additionally, it provides a wide selection of payment methods which include PayPal.

To use Rakuten users first need to create a free Rakuten account and then link their credit card. Then, they can earn cash by shopping via the affiliate link on the platform. Users can also download a browser add-on that informs them when cash back offers are available when they browse the internet. The company also picks a store every day to give double cash back for all hours. Cash back is accrued over a period of three months before being paid out in a quarterly manner through PayPal. Referring friends to the website is another way to earn referral bonuses. These bonuses are a great incentive to shop on the site.

Etsy

Etsy is an online marketplace that connects small crafters artists, designers and artists with buyers looking to purchase unique, hand-crafted or vintage products. Etsy offers a variety of products including jewelry, clothes, and home decor. It accepts credit cards, Etsy gift certificates and various shipping options.

It has a huge customer base and offers numerous tools to help sellers market their products. Its focus on handmade and vintage goods draws a niche audience of dedicated customers. The site's secure platform as well as its policies to protect buyers encourage buyers to be confident in it. Sellers are also provided with access to a network of fellow sellers who are able to provide assistance and support.

The platform provides a variety of shopping and search options to assist customers in finding their ideal product. Its search function allows users to filter products by price material, location, and price. It can also be used to save items, shops and searches to return to later. Etsy also offers a wide Standard Duty Gun Range Bag of educational tools to aid sellers in growing their businesses.

Scammers make use of the Etsy platform in order to extort money and customer information. They may use fake shop names or listings, and post their items with incorrect or inaccurate descriptions. They also try to deceive people by offering false shipping addresses or offering non-reversible payment methods.

While Etsy is an excellent option for small-scale, independent sellers, there are a few disadvantages. The platform's algorithm is complex and can have a major impact on the results of searches and sales. Changes to the algorithm are frequently made without warning. The limited customization and layout options can also be limiting for some sellers.

Made Trade

Made Trade is an online store that offers a variety of ethical and sustainable household items and fashion items. Made Trade offers top-quality, ethically manufactured products and explains how each item is sustainable. They offer an assortment of vegan and heritage clothes shoes, accessories, travel luggage Sets and Clear Glass Shower Door home décor pieces.

Cayley Pater is a passionate environmentalist, and Andy Ives founded Made Trade in 2018. Both entrepreneurs are committed to fair trade and sustainability. Their aim was to create an online store that offers the best designed, sustainably and ethically produced products.

The company's goal is to make buying mindfully easy. Their beautifully curated online shop allows customers to discover the most sustainable home products as well as wardrobe essentials and accessories that complement their lifestyles. The company's products are constructed from earth-friendly materials and they make sure that their employees receive a living wage and are also in safe 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 has also been certified climate neutral, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability.

Made Trade carries only USA made products, which means that they adhere to the highest ethical standards and follow responsible sourcing procedures. They're committed to ensuring that their makers are paid an equitable and sustainable wage, are employed in safe and healthy conditions, and focus on sustainable growth for their business. They also use recycled and upcycled materials as well as mineral and plant dyes that are more beneficial to the planet 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 buys books that are used from bookstores, libraries as well as other community members, and sells them in an effort to raise funds for literacy initiatives. The company donates books it cannot sell to literacy organizations or other causes. Better World Books is an for-profit Certified B Corporation that creates value for its stakeholders in terms of social, economic and environmental impact.

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

Better World Books is a socially responsible book seller that promotes the development of literacy and sustainability. The company has partnered up with non-profit organizations such as the Internet Archive to digitise books that would otherwise be destroyed or lost. In addition, it is one of the only online bookstores that offer a wide selection of audiobooks and ebooks.

Better World Books has several programs to help students and libraries find and purchase the right books for their needs. The library collection program provides free shipping and returns. The collection of textbooks allows students to rent textbooks or purchase them at a reasonable price. It also offers a variety of educational tools for students, such as its study guide. Better World Books is a leading alternative to Amazon for librarians and students seeking high-quality books at a reasonable cost. It also offers a variety of international titles that are sure to be a hit with readers all over the globe.

Overstock

Overstock is an online retailer of clearance furniture, home decor, and other items. Its inventory comes from big-box retailers that cannot continue to sell their items or from suppliers who are looking to clear their surplus inventory. It also buys directly from manufacturers. Customers can purchase high-quality items at a low cost.

Overstock offers various ways to shop with a mobile app that lets customers imagine how furniture would appear in their home. It also offers an augmented reality function that allows shoppers to see 3D renderings of thousands of items, including sectional sofas and memory foam mattresses. This way, buyers are able to be sure that they have chosen the best product for their needs and get rid of the hassle of returning.

Inventory management is crucial to the success of an online business. A lack of stock results in loss of sales, and excessive inventory can tie up capital and may prevent new products from entering 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 common occurrence, there are ways to stop them from happening. A warehouse management system lets you monitor inventory and order at the right time. A ship-to-customer system can help you cut down on warehouse and storage costs, while also allowing for quicker shipping and returns.

Another way to avoid overstock is to make use of an online listing tool that will automatically transfer inventory across several marketplace channels. For instance, the multichannel listing tool from Shopping Cart Elite can manage listings on Overstock and other marketplaces from one dashboard. This tool will help you save time by removing the need to manually input each listing option.