Charities Knocking on Doors

MarkBargain

One thing you could do is agree with the caller that their charity is a fantastic organisation, invite them in, agree to sign up to a Direct Debit, then get your computer out and join online using the charity's website in front of them. That way the fantastic charity gets 100%, and the cold caller nothing. I would like to see them argue out of that one.

Upsidedown_Bear

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

Gosh ! how many bins have you got ?

zagfles

MarkBargain wrote: »

One thing you could do is agree with the caller that their charity is a fantastic organisation, invite them in, agree to sign up to a Direct Debit, then get your computer out and join online using the charity's website in front of them. That way the fantastic charity gets 100%, and the cold caller nothing. I would like to see them argue out of that one.

I've tried similar. It usually results in a lie like "it's more efficient for the charity donating through me".

yangptangkipperbang

Upsidedown_Bear wrote: »

Huh ! Think I've bin had ................:p

vikingaero

Charities have adopted commercial tactics in fundraising. I'd argue that there is a moral line being crossed. But hey, if they want to use the less then ethical morals of business then they should be treated as such.

Air_Cooled_75

And it's the knocking that doesn't just happen during the day. After tea and when I'm just putting the LO to bed. These days I don't answer the door to anyone unless I'm expecting them (deliveries, postie, meter readers). Quick look through the spy hole...

Then there's the phone calls up to 9pm...I'm glad we have caller ID.

knightstyle

These "chuggers" are employed by companies like Unique Fundraising and only get a small commission for those who sign up for DD. These companies receive a big commission for everyone who signs, the Heart Foundation pays £154. So if you do a DD for £3 a month the first four years payments goes to this private company!
In 2013 Age UK received £158.9million in donations but it cost over £81million to raise this, that is an improvement on previous years! But over half the money raised went to the fundraisers!

MarkBargain

knightstyle wrote: »

These "chuggers" are employed by companies like Unique Fundraising and only get a small commission for those who sign up for DD. These companies receive a big commission for everyone who signs, the Heart Foundation pays £154. So if you do a DD for £3 a month the first four years payments goes to this private company!

That's a shocking amount of money, especially if not made clear to the donor at the time they sign up (is it?).

kezzygirl

a few years ago I received a telephone call from the NSPCC asking me to sign up to a direct debit of £20 per month!!! We were struggling financially at the time, so I said no. So they said 'how about £10?'....and so it went on, down down until we reached £2.

I still said no. I donate to charity boxes in the supermarket, but dont like being pressurised. My nanna has just cancelled her direct debit to a charity as they sent a letter asking for more money.

zagfles

MarkBargain wrote: »

That's a shocking amount of money, especially if not made clear to the donor at the time they sign up (is it?).

No it isn't. It should be, just like financial advisors have to disclose the commission they receive when they sell you a financial product, any professional fundraiser should be required to state the commission they take. Online sites like JustGiving clearly state what they take.

Last time I asked a chugger about this, they said the charity has already paid in advance, so it won't cost them any extra if I sign up!!

But obviously that's the same thing as paying a commission. If the charity has paid the chugging company say £15,400 to recruit 100 donors, and they reach the 100, the chugging company will then go back to the charity and say "give us another £15,400 and we'll recruit another 100".

The "already paid" argument is like trying to peruase a veggie to eat meat because the animal is already dead :rotfl: