EBay is tapping millennial-focused news source theSkimm to act on the new age way of driving sales and supporting charity by using social to encourage users to sell items for charity on mobile.

TheSkimm is helping eBay spread the word regarding a new sales initiative to get users to donate a portion of their sales to charity through Facebook Live. The news provider is tapping its massive mobile-focused audience to encourage them to sell their unwanted holiday gifts and donate a portion to charity, which eBay will also participate.

“TheSkimm is always looking for ways to make it easier for our audience to be smarter about the world and the choices they make with their time and money,” said Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, co-founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm. “We’re excited to partner with eBay to offer our theSkimm community a new way to sell items they don’t want or need, while helping to support the Boys & Girls Club.”

Giving back
Millennial consumers, who are more likely to be comfortable selling items online, are being tapped for eBay’s new charity campaign. TheSkimm is known for its substantial consumer base primarily made up of millennials, which is accesses mostly through mobile and social media.

The daily newsletter will include eBay branding to encourage the upcoming campaign. Through a Facebook Live stream, theSkimm will walk viewers through selling through eBay’s various tools and encourage them to do so for charity.

Sellers are being encouraged to donate 10 percent of their proceeds to the Boys and Girls club of America. For each posting a part of the charity initiative, eBay will donate $10 to the charity as well.

The charity campaign will run from Jan. 12 to 16. TheSkimm’s Facebook Live broadcast will run on Jan. 12 at noon Eastern Standard Time and be supported by a series of on-site initiatives in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston.

Online marketplace
EBay’s Boys and Girls Club campaign comes on the heels of its initiative to fully embrace its status as a mobile retailer with a newly updated application that offers expanded browsing and comparing options.

The online bidding site’s new app makes it easier for consumers to browse and find the items they are looking for plus an additional layer of security will keep consumers’ information safe from potential threats. The powered up search function will come courtesy of a structured data initiative (see more).

Recognizing the increasingly important role that mobile search plays in the shopping journey, eBay leveraged Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages framework to deliver simple, accessible and fast browsing experiences when shoppers click on a link in an external platform over the summer.

While Google’s AMP was initially rolled out for publishing-based content, eBay bet it can improve browsing experiences for products. While the initial push is focused more on browsing than sales, eBay also believes AMP has promise for ecommerce and is working with Google to build in more components, such as Add to Cart (see more).

“Every year, people receive gifts that aren’t quite right for them and then struggle with what to do. eBay is providing a positive solution for those with ‘unwanted’ holiday gifts and allowing them to simplify their lives in the New Year,” Suzy Deering, chief marketing officer of eBay North America. “Through this new partnership with theSkimm, it allows us to reach their highly engaged community and arm them with ways to sell to make extra money or benefit charity.

“Through local events in cities around the country and a Facebook Live session for those who want to participate virtually, we’ll show how easy and fun it is to sell on eBay, and donate the proceeds to a good cause,” she said. “Because giving back is part of our DNA, eBay will also be making a $10 donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America for every person who lists an item with at least 10% of proceeds benefitting the organization from January 12 to 16.”