Web Thrift Store

Web Thrift Store was founded in 2011 by Doug Krugman and Lynn Zises in New York City. The stated goal of the company is to allow non-profit organizations to run online thrift stores without having to maintain inventory.{{ cite web | url = http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/webthriftstore | title = WebThriftStore Connects Buyers, Consumers and Non-Profits to Make Cash | last = Reid | first = Tiana | work = Trend Hunter | date = 2012-06-06 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} Part of the reason the two founded the organization was to get people to donate things that they do not use in order to raise cash for non-profits.{{ cite web | url = http://www.nypress.com/a-new-web-thrift-store-benefits-schools-and-other-charities/ | title = A New Web Thrift Store Benefits Schools and Other Charities | last = Fantozzi | first = Joanna | work = Straus Media | date = 2013-02-06 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} Items donated to the website earn money for charities. People who donate items through WebThriftStore receive tax deductions and can choose which charities they want to donate the money to.{{ cite web | url = http://magazine.columbia.edu/newsmakers/spring-2012/if-startup-fits | title = If the startup fits... | work = Columbia Magazine | date = Spring 2002 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }}

Web Thrift Store is partnered with multiple organizations. While the website began with a total of three partners, it grew to more than 30 (as of September 2014).{{ cite web | url = http://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/alumni/publication/1686 | title = Startups for a Better World | last1 = Beshkin | first1 = Abigail | last2 = Chalifoux | first2 = Amanda | work = The Alumni Magazine of the Columbia Business School | date = 2014-09-19 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} It later had a total of 60 charities as of February 4, 2015.{{ cite web | url = http://www.wxyz.com/news/donate-your-heartbreak-to-charities-online-with-webthriftstorecom | title = Donate your "heartbreak" to charities online with WebThriftStore.com | last = Bahou | first = Alexandra | work = WXYZ Detroit | date = 2015-02-04 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} These organizations include (but are not limited to):

• American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA){{ cite web | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/10/cleaning-out-your-closets_n_1267744.html | title = Web Thrift Store Allows You To Donate Unwanted Items (VIDEO) | work = The Huffington Post | date = 2012-02-10 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }}
• Maccabi USA
• Connections to Success
• The North Shore Animal League
• New York Cares
• Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Tri-State Area{{ cite web | url = http://www.marketwatch.com/story/webthriftstore-adds-new-york-cares-and-ronald-mcdonald-house-new-york-tri-state-charities-to-nonprofit-partner-roster-2013-06-26 | title = WebThriftStore Adds New York Cares and Ronald McDonald House New York Tri-State Charities to Nonprofit Partner Roster | work = MarketWatch | date = 2013-06-26 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }}
• MAG America{{cn|date=September 2023}}
• Generation Rescue{{cn|date=September 2023}}
• Children's Brain Tumor Foundation{{cn|date=September 2023}}
• Biblical Life Ministries{{cn|date=September 2023}}
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA){{ cite web | url = https://finance.yahoo.com/news/arctic-blast-leaves-dogs-cold-140000611.html | title = Arctic Blast Leaves Dogs Out in the Cold: WebThriftStore Launches "Coats for Canines" Drive | work = Yahoo! Finance | date = 2014-01-09 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }}
• Colonel Potter Cairn Rescue Network{{cn|date=September 2023}}
• Bark & Meow Foundation{{cn|date=September 2023}}
• 7th District Foundation{{cn|date=September 2023}}
• American Red Cross{{ cite web | url = http://technews.tmcnet.com/news/2014/07/30/7947107.htm | title = WebThriftStore Announces American Red Cross as Newest Charity Partner | work = TMCnet | date = 2014-07-30 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }}
• Orphans Africa{{ cite web | url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2014/07/30/scaling-up-while-giving-back/ | title = Scaling Up While Giving Back | last = Pofeldt | first = Elaine | work = Forbes | date = 2014-07-30 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }}
• National Geographic Society
• Wild Animal Sanctuary
• Alliance for Lupus Research
• Animal Legal Defense Fund

In 2013, WebThriftStore (in conjunction with select charity partners) announced a donation competition called #OneGoodThing to raise new item donations.[6] It also created a donation drive called #SpringCleanForACause for similar purposes to take place on March 20, 2015.{{cn|date=September 2023}} Web Thrift Store released a mobile app called ThriftSNAP, which allows people to donate items quickly.{{ cite web | url = http://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2014/11/28/webthriftstore-makes-cleaning-out-the-closet-and-donating-to-charity-a-thriftsnap/ | title = WebThriftStore Makes Cleaning Out the Closet – and Donating to Charity – a ThriftSNAP | last = Blaine | first = Adrienne | work = KQED Arts | date = 2014-11-28 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} The website runs an annual Valentine's Day event called "Donate Your Heartbreak", where people are encouraged to donate gifts from ex-lovers to charity. People who donate items such as these for this event are also invited to share stories related to the items through Web Thrift Store.{{ cite web | url = http://www.glamour.com/inspired/blogs/the-conversation/2015/02/sell-presents-exes | title = Valentine's Day Purge: Sell Presents From Your Exes and Donate the Money to Charity | last = Lo | first = Danica | work = Glamour | date = 2015-02-03 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} WebThriftStore collaborated with animal-related charities including ASPCA, PETA, the Bark & Meow Foundation, Colonel Potter Cairn Rescue Network, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Internet Miniature Pinscher Service, RedRover, and the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program in a “Coats for Canines” drive to encourage people to donate coats and sweaters to these charities for dogs in order to help them combat the cold. New York Cares held a donation drive from June 20 to June 22, 2014, in conjunction with WebThriftStore and the taxi service Uber and its "UberRUSH" service. The collaboration was for the purpose of encouraging people to donate their possessions by having Uber drivers pick the things up.{{ cite web | url = https://finance.yahoo.com/news/webthriftstore-york-cares-team-uber-190520385.html | title = WebThriftStore and New York Cares Team Up With Uber for Designer Charity Donation Drive June 20th-22nd | work = Yahoo! Finance | date = 2014-06-17 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} In November 2014, Web Thrift Store joined the Blackbaud Partner Network.{{ cite web | url = https://news.webthriftstore.com/webthriftstore-joins-the-blackbaud-partner-network/ | title = WebThriftStore Joins the Blackbaud Partner Network | work = Web Thrift Store | date = 2014-11-20 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }}

Web Thrift Store has been covered in multiple magazines, including Glamour and O, The Oprah Magazine.{{ cite magazine | title = Does Anyone Want My... A few more ways to get rid of clutter - for good | date = March 2013 | work = O, The Oprah Magazine }} Web Thrift Store, along with nine other startups, were given space in Times Square offices for three months in 2011 by Entrepreneurs Roundtable, as well as $25,000 and access to more than 180 mentor figures in exchange for a percentage of the company's stake.{{ cite web | url = http://observer.com/2011/05/entrepreneurs-roundtable-announces-10-start-ups-for-summer-accelerator/ | title = Entrepreneurs Roundtable Announces 10 Start-ups for Summer Accelerator | last = Popper | first = Ben | work = Observer Innovation | date = 2011-05-31 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} Web Thrift Store was covered by Business Insider in its article about 10 New York City-based startups.{{ cite web | url = http://www.businessinsider.com/startups-er-accelerator-new-york-2011?op=1 | title = RUSH TO JUDGEMENT: Are These 10 NYC Startups You've Never Heard Of Brilliant Or Bombs? | last = Shontell | first = Alyson | work = Business Insider | date = 2011-09-01 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} It was also covered in a list of five New York City startups by NY Convergence.{{ cite web | url = http://nyconvergence.com/2012/03/a-look-at-five-ny-startups-giving-back.html | title = A Look at Five NY Startups Giving Back | work = NY Convergence | date = 2012-03-25 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} The website Good Net called it the "good-doers version" of Craigslist.{{ cite web | url = http://www.goodnet.org/articles/197 |title = Craigslist, the Good-Doers Version | work = Good Net | date = 2012-04-18 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} Columbia Business School Magazine suggested that Web Thrift Store could be good competition for The Salvation Army. The website "Looking Fly on a Dime" praised the organization for allowing non-profits to choose where the earnings from their donations go, which is not something that all thrift stores tell.{{ cite web | url = http://www.lookingflyonadime.com/new-sites-make-thrift-shopping-online-easy/ | title = New Sites Make Thrift Shopping Online Easy | work = Looking Fly on a Dime | date = 2012-11-14 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} The website "Connect With Your Teens Through Pop Culture and Technology" included it in a list of four social entrepreneurships "where you can do good."{{ cite web | url = http://www.connectwithyourteens.net/4-social-entrepreneurships-where-you-can-do-good/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130619045842/http://connectwithyourteens.net/4-social-entrepreneurships-where-you-can-do-good/ | url-status = usurped | archive-date = June 19, 2013 | title = 4 Social Entrepreneurships Where You Can Do Good | last = Wagner | first = Jennifer | work = Connect With Your Teens Through Pop Culture and Technology | date = 2013-04-30 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} Web Thrift Store was selected to speak at the South by Southwest Interactive 2014 event for a discussion called "Doing Good and Making Money."{{ cite web | url = http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2013/12/04/7578230.htm | title = WebThriftStore Selected to Speak at SXSW Interactive Festival | work = TMC News | date = 2013-12-04 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} The website miratel solutions inc. speculated that Web Thrift Store may indicate that online charity shops may become more prominent in the future.{{ cite web | url = http://www.miratelinc.com/blog/could-webthriftstore-com-signal-the-rise-of-the-online-charity-shop/ | title = Could webthriftstore.com signal the rise of the online charity shop? | work = miratel solutions inc. | date = 2014-08-26 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }} Web Thrift Store attended an event called COMMON Pitch NYC, an event where businesses present pitches for their product or service to a panel of celebrity judges and compete with each other.{{ cite web | url = http://www.psfk.com/2012/02/common-pitch-startups-2012.html | title = COMMON Pitch Showcases Ten Startups To Watch In 2012 - Alex Bogusky, John Bielenberg and Rob Schuham are giving ten hot internet entrepreneurs the chance to grow their businesses. | last = McNerney | first = Sam | work = Virtual Reality Report | date = 2012-02-15 | accessdate = 2015-06-11 }}

For the whole of 2013, sales and donations grew more than 200 percent according to The Alumni Magazine of the Columbia Business School.

• [https://www.webthriftstore.com/ Official website for Web Thrift Store]

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Category:2011 establishments in New York City

Category:Companies based in New York City