Campaign: TOMS Marketplace
Company: TOMS
Nonprofit Partner: Charity Water, Movember, Others
Launch Date: November 5, 2013
Campaign:
More big news in the cause space: yesterday ‘Buy One Give One’ pioneer TOMS launched a new online store called TOMS Marketplace that features a curated collection of 200 socially conscious products from 30 different companies. The company has purchased inventory from these socially-focused companies and will take a percentage of sales in exchange for warehousing, shipping and distribution services. Browsable by cause category, brand or geographic area of impact, products include everything from accessories, apparel and bags to home goods, jewelry, sports equipment and technology. Prices range from $5 to $500.
Our Take:
TOMS has long served as the poster child for successful cause-based business models. With the addition of the Marketplace, TOMS is adding yet another layer to the social good equation by becoming a reseller and online hub of cause products. While we’ve certainly seen our share of cause-based online marketplaces, none of them have the reach, scale, star power or consumer trust that TOMS does. This strategy pivot may well prove hugely successful for TOMS with the potential to catapult their online footprint, diversify their product offering and continue the evolution of the cause/business equation.
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