Twitter is testing donate buttons for select non-profits

The micro-blogging platform Twitter is starting to dip its toes into e-commerce with the launch of a “buy” button to select users of its mobile platform.

In addition to musicians and established retail chains, such as Home Depot and Burberry, a handful of non-profits have been selected to test this new extension of the platform. While Twitter is handling the integration of the button into their app, the actually order/credit-card processing and fulfillment are being done by a small set of 3rd party vendors:

• Fancy (social shopping)
• Gumroad (digital content)
• Music Today
• Stripe

Traditionally non-profits have used Twitter to raise awareness of their cause and to promote special fundraising events and programs so it will be interesting to see the platform will lend itself to converting followers to donors. At launch the seven non-profits selected to participate in the trial are:

• 9/11 Day of Service
• the Nature Conservancy
• Global Citizen
• Glide
• Glaad
• DonorsChoose.org
• Product Red

With a few exceptions, social-media hasn't been a solid performer in driving direct donations to charities however. One area where social-media has been successful is in aiding the promotion of peer-to-peer fundraising programs by registered participants. While the leading peer-to-peer fundraising applications currently have a loose integration with social-sharing, it would be a huge step in the right direction to see the donation portion more tightly integrate into the main social platforms. I'm looking at you Blackbaud...



References:

http://techcrunch.com/2014/09/08/twitter-commerce-buy-now

https://blog.twitter.com/2014/testing-a-way-for-you-to-make-purchases-on-twitter

http://philanthropy.com/article/7-Nonprofits-to-Test-Using/148733?cid=megamenu

http://philanthropy.com/article/Charities-Like-Facebook-for/147639/