Online sales for St John's Hospice in Lancaster go from strength to strength

Instead of letting the temporary closures of their charity shops keep them down, St John’s Hospice are using this time as an opportunity to expand their online shopping platforms, from bolstering eBay sales to selling via Facebook.
St John's Hospice in Lancaster has expanded its online shopping platforms on ebay and Facebook during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pictured are Leanne Hunter, e-commerce co-ordinator and Zosia Muhler, e-commerce assistant with some of the goods for sale online.St John's Hospice in Lancaster has expanded its online shopping platforms on ebay and Facebook during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pictured are Leanne Hunter, e-commerce co-ordinator and Zosia Muhler, e-commerce assistant with some of the goods for sale online.
St John's Hospice in Lancaster has expanded its online shopping platforms on ebay and Facebook during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pictured are Leanne Hunter, e-commerce co-ordinator and Zosia Muhler, e-commerce assistant with some of the goods for sale online.

Not only is this helping to make up for lost income for the Hospice, but also providing more economical and environmentally friendly shopping options for people who regularly buy from their charity shops, and new customers.

As we head towards Christmas, especially in this difficult year, many people are looking for more affordable ways to shop, and with many of the more affordable high street stores closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, being able to shop at charity shops online is a great option for many, and with the added perk of supporting a favourite local charity too.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Another great benefit of shopping online with St John’s Hospice is the eco-friendly nature of it; shopping second hand means limiting waste. Pre-loved clothing, furniture and other products are often higher quality than those you can find elsewhere in the same price bracket, more durable, and they don’t contribute to unethical manufacturing processes too.

Sophie Lea, head of retail at St John’s Hospice said “We get a lot of great, unusual items donated to our shops - that could be a unique item of clothing, a really fun gift or a characterful piece of furniture. People like to shop with us to express their individuality and find things you can’t find anywhere else, all while being more environmentally conscious.”

As well as all the items usually on sale, the St John’s Hospice eBay is now selling toys, games and clothes, some of which are in bundles, making them even more purse-friendly. They are also offering a ‘click and collect’ service for furniture, a service that follows all the government regulations and advice to assure customers of a safe on-line shopping experience.

Catherine Butterworth, director of income generation said “We rely on our charity shops to provide vital income for the Hospice, and after having to cancel most of our big fundraisers this year, shutting the shops again could be a big financial blow. Adapting to e-commerce provides a lot of great benefits, not just to us, but to the local area, and we’re hopeful that we can support the wonderful community around us as much as they support us – but we're still looking forward to re-opening our physical shops!”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

You can shop with St John’s Hospice on their eBay page at ebay.co.uk/str/stjohnshospice or by calling 01524 844450 if you’ve seen anything on Facebook or in one of their stores you are interested in.

You can also buy Christmas cards and other gifts at sjhospice.org.uk/christmas.