Frequently Asked Questions
How are the donations calculated?
Can I shop directly at a retailer's website and still earn a donation for my organization?
Can I earn a donation for my organization when I order through the retailer's catalog or in-store?
Why do I earn a different percentage from each merchant?
How is the donation I earn for my organization affected by returns, exchanges or back orders?
What should I do if my shopping session is interrupted or crashes?
Is shopping online through the GiveSmart program safe?
What do I do if I'm having trouble linking to an online merchant?
Do I pay more to the merchant(s) when I go through my Organization's web site than I would if I went directly to the merchant?
No, you pay the same prices and enjoy the same specials and sale prices as you would if you went directly to the merchant's web site.
How are the donations calculated?
Donations will be automatically calculated and awarded on the basis of the purchase amount, excluding taxes, shipping and special handling charges. Fees for additional services, such as gift-wrapping, as well as any portion of the price covered by a gift certificate or store credit are also excluded from the calculation.
Can I shop directly at a retailer's website and still earn a donation for my organization?
No. If you go directly to one of our online merchants directly, such as Best Buy and complete your purchase you will not get your donation. To earn the donation for your organization you MUST start at your organization's GiveSmart web site and click through to BestBuy.com.
Can I earn a donation for my organization when I order through the retailer's catalog or in-store?
Not at this time. Currently, only online transactions are eligible for donations to your organization.
Why do I earn a different percentage from each merchant?
Each GiveSmart merchant individually decides how much they want to contribute and there are separate agreements with each retailer.
Can I bookmark my organization's GiveSmart site or do I need to go through my organization's web site first?
Yes, you can bookmark this GiveSmart site and shop directly from here.
How is the donation I earn for my organization affected by returns, exchanges or back orders?
Adjustments to your organization's earnings may take up to 90 days, depending on the retailer and the status of the order.
What should I do if my shopping session is interrupted or crashes?
Occasionally, if you start shopping and then get distracted before you complete your order, your session can expire. We recommend that you go back through your GiveSmart site to that retailer to continue shopping. If your computer crashes due to power failure or some unseen reason while shopping online, we recommend that you go back through the GiveSmart site once you computer is back online.
Is shopping online through the GiveSmart program safe?
Absolutely. Your transaction still occurs on the actual merchants website. GiveSmart simply tracks the purchase amount from your order in order to pass along the respective donation to your organization. We do not share any member contact information with our partners without your permission. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information. GiveSmart never asks from your credit card information. This remains confidential information between you and each merchant.
What do I do if I'm having trouble linking to an online merchant?
This may mean your pop-up blocker is enabled. In order to view important online merchant information, you may need to turn off the pop-up blocker feature and enable pop-ups specifically from this site.
