How do you deal with requests for free 'donations'?

[SageNThymeDesigns]

Over the years I've had many people (whom I've never met and have not ever made a purchase from my shop) ask for a free donation to support their special cause. Usually it's people asking for $30-$50 items that I should share with them for free to support their child's school auction, autism group or drama club. I'm a mommy running a Handmade business and I'm happy to make a donation to my own kid's school auction, but sending you a Handmade costume for free when I don't know you and you won't even make a purchase from my business???

I just had another request this morning. I said that I would be happy to make a donation of a costume item with the purchase of equal or greater value. Thanks for supporting Handmade. Got a less than pleasant response back.

How do you deal with these people? I used to say yes, but it was usually for smaller items or local groups or people who wanted to share my promotional materials. This request wasn't even pretending that it would be of any benefit for me and my business.

[MariasWorkshop]

Joanne, I am sorry you had that experience.

I received three or four such requests in the past. I had two shops at the time I received two similar requests (same person) for one of the most expensive items in each shop.

I am not against donating to good causes, but I do not like to be approached at my shop - I donate from home, to causes I have carefully researched.

A couple of times I just ignored the requests. But the last time I received a request I informed the person that it was against Etsy's policies to approach shops requesting contributions. The person was very nice and apologetic, stating she did not know.

Indeed, Etsy’s Policies do not allow contact to request donations. See below.

Check Item 1, under the title “Conversations”, Etsy’s Seller Policies:

https://www.etsy.com/legal/sellers/?ref=list

The same content is in the Buyer Policy

Also, you may want to read this thread from the Forums:

https://www.etsy.com/teams/7722/discussions/discuss/17390865/

[SageNThymeDesigns]

Thanks for the info, good to know it's against Etsy policy (as it should be since it's soliciting and just another form of spam). I reported the convo as Spam and sent her an email with your link. She joined Etsy on the 11th and has favorited over 900 items- costumes and the like similar to mine. I'm hopeful that she'll stop her rude requests for expensive free items from the Handmade community. So rude and insulting!

[HouseofMetalworks]

thanks for this info - I get these requests all the time.

[Former_Member]

How I respond depends on the tone of the convo. It is against Etsy TOU, but also my cost-benefit analysis has shown that donating to non-local groups does not increase my business. (Donating time has increased business, as people like to support the faces they know.)
Occasionally I offer a discount code so that they can purchase an item, helping me directly support my family, and donate it themselves, which they can deduct from their taxes if it's a recognized charity. No one has ever taken me up on that. :-)

[fishcouple]

I have donated to our school fundraiser in the past. I would donate to my kid's chorus and so forth, but I don't think I will donate to someone I don't know.

[OneFairfaxRoad]

When I'm asked for a donation that I'd rather not provide, I respond cordially to the person making the request. (I've had to solicit donations for school auctions in the past and it was hard for me!)

I respond that I set aside a budget for donations for the year and have already allocated these funds. Then I thank them for the work they are doing to support their cause.