An increasing number of Australian charities have begun to realise the potential available to them through online retail channels.
At the start of the year the Salvation Army launched a website storefront called Salvos Stores to help generous shoppers get access to their donated goods 24 hours a day.
Since January, the site has operated as both a digital retail outlet and a public avenue that lets the Salvos promote their donated wears in an online showcase - with rare, boutique and vintage items put forward on a regular basis.
Speaking on the launch in January 2011, general manager of the Salvation Army for New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria Neville Barrett said he thought that the new website was most likely the first of its kind in Australia.
Barrett stated: "It's important that Salvos Stores is relevant and accessible within all communities across Australia, which we do through our local presence and now actively in social media and our new online store."
Since then the Salvos have enjoyed increasing levels of success with their online campaign, with store community liaison manager Pat Daley saying that the shop-front had delivered increasing sales over the past twelve months.
The Australian nonprofit's online shop was so successful that in September it was nominated for the Oracle World Retail Awards 2011.
