Slow, Insecure Websites Causing Charities To Miss Millions In Donations

An independent survey carried out by Peer 1 Hosting has found that despite a third of British and America consumers planning on giving more money to charities over the 2014 Christmas period, less than 25 per cent plan to do so online.

The revelation means charity websites, in particular, need to increasingly focus on providing a fast and reliable service.

The study analysed the opinions of 700 consumers from the UK and 700 from North American and found that responsive websites were of paramount importance for the not-for-profit sector. Slow websites and complicated donation processes were found to be some of the key factors people gave for not donating online, potentially stopping aid reaching millions of people across the globe.

Sheila Bouman, executive vice president and managing director at Peer 1 Hosting, explained that a reliable online presence has become crucial for any business.

“In today’s modern world, people are increasingly carrying out their lives online; whether it’s connecting with family and friends via social media, managing their finances with internet banking, or buying and selling goods,” she said.

“People now expect to be able to carry out tasks seamlessly online, and this is no different in the charity sector. However, it is clear that even though the motivation is there, people are struggling to donate to their chosen charities, which means these organisations are missing out on vital donations, which ultimately impacts those in need over Christmas.”

The research revealed that consumers plan on giving $87 on average to charities over the festive holidays, but only 20 per cent of respondents said that they would do so online and only five per cent will use their mobile phone to donate.

Evidently, the importance of simple and secure online processes cannot be understated for the charity sector. Given that these organisations are keen to build a strong donor relationship, having dependable online infrastructure is vital.