Goodwill’s Online Sales Team Fuel the Mission
April 21, 2021Since 2018 Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia has been growing their online presence, hitting huge milestones along the way.
“March was our best sales month ever that put us No. 16 for the month of all Goodwill’s that sell on ShopGoodwill.com. We should beat that total this month.” said Andrew Hardymon, project manager e-commerce.
In 2021, Goodwill CCVA aims to generate $4.5 million in revenue from online sales and continue to expand the e-commerce department. Donations sold online are selected by production associates in-store and sent to the e-commerce team. Over 75% of items they receive are then listed, and the original store receives 100% of the credit of the winning paid auction. The average winning bid this year is $66.92 per item.
The team of 17 (five in Hampton Roads and 12 in Richmond) process hundreds of items a day, adding over 125 new listings daily. At any time, there are around 500 active listings with auctions lasting approximately five days and most starting at $7.99. While this may sound like a huge number, across central and coastal Virginia, Goodwill stores merchandise about 100,000 new items every day. Only a fraction of items are listed online and stores continue to have a wealth of treasures available for shoppers to find!
People-Focused Impact
Beyond the financial impact, the center of the e-comm team’s success is its people. Most team members originally started in Goodwill’s retail stores, earning promotions and lateral transfers to join the thriving department.
Amanda Haynes was one of those stories, starting out in wares before becoming a shipper. She went on to become a jewelry lister and Goodwill is now funding her studies to become a certified Gemologist. Amanda was also the winner of Goodwill’s 2020 ‘mission month button design’ exploring her creative passions to express Goodwill’s mission through design.
“I love working for a company that gives back to the people. (Sorting through donations) is like tiny windows into the world of others, it makes me feel a sense of connection.” Said Amanda when reflecting on her career with Goodwill.
Goodwill of Central and Coastal is committed to the success and development of their associates. As the organization grows, Goodwill is proud to offer unique advancement and training opportunities to individuals from a wealth of backgrounds and experiences. Congratulations to the entire e-commerce team for their continued success!
Currently, 129 Goodwill organizations use the platform to generate revenue for local community job training and employment placement programs. To learn more about ShopGoodwill.com nationwide, read more in Forbes.com.
