New Online Channel for Ethical Products Launched

Furniture World Magazine

This September, eBay and World of Good, Inc. will announce the launch of WorldofGood.com, the world's first verified-seller online marketplace for ethically sourced and environmentally friendly products. The initiative represents the first effort of its kind to convene a variety of sellers that offer ethical products in one cohesive shopping experience, offering consumers one online destination to buy products that have a positive impact on people and the planet. "With more than two billion people around the world living on less than $2 per day[1], it was clear that we had an incredible opportunity to provide better market access for global artisans and producers," said Robert Chatwani, general manager of WorldofGood.com by eBay. "Our new marketplace creates opportunity through commerce, and will achieve what we hope is positive social impact on a large scale." Products on the site will span 15 distinct categories, from furnishings to gift baskets to clothing to food to health and beauty products. The marketplace will feature participation from a wide variety of sellers, including Ten Thousand Villages, Organic Bouquet, and Pangea Organics, as well as a number of smaller sellers from countries all over the world that to date have not had access to the U.S. market. WorldofGood.com by eBay is a marketplace for ethically-sourced goods within eBay. Sellers list products as they would on another part of eBay, with the exception that there is a trust verification and credentialing process with third-party experts in fair trade. Costs vary depending on volume of sales. There are basic and professional rates. Growing Consumer Demand for Ethically Sourced Goods "I think there is a big untapped market out there." says Sharon Greenman, a WorldofGood.com seller from Matur Suksema, which sources a line of unique, handmade beads, gifts, and home decor from Indonesia. "The marketplace is going to be an excellent way to reach that market and connect buyers with sellers of ethically sourced goods." Experts agree that there is a growing, untapped market for goods that have a positive impact on people and the planet. Branding and marketing firm BBMG's 2007 Conscious Consumer Report indicates that 88 percent of Americans self-identify as "conscious" or "socially responsible" consumers. And despite the current economy, the National Marketing Institute projects that spending in the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health & Sustainability) market is projected to reach $410 billion by 2010, almost double what it was in 2005. With its vast reach and marketing expertise, eBay is well-positioned to help sellers reach this ever-growing market of consumers. In addition to offering access to eBay's community of 84 million active members worldwide, WorldofGood.com is launching a comprehensive online and offline marketing campaign to target socially conscious consumers and drive traffic to WorldofGood.com. "There are hundreds of established, successful organizations in the U.S. and around the world selling products—both online and offline—that positively impact people and the planet," said World of Good, Inc. CEO Priya Haji. "WorldofGood.com convenes them all in one place for the first time, and leverages eBay's unique ecommerce platform to open the door for thousands of smaller sellers that wouldn't otherwise have access to the lucrative U.S. consumer market. Through WorldofGood.com, we hope to achieve a level of scale that is unprecedented in the ethical products industry." Trust, Transparency, and Customized Social Impact WorldofGood.com is the first online marketplace of its kind that requires all sellers to pass through a third-party screening system to offer consumers a level of trust and transparency that is unprecedented in the world of ethical shopping. In order to become eligible, each seller must be verified by one of the site's Trust Providers, international agencies like Transfair, Co-Op America, and the Rainforest Alliance. Through these Trust Provider process, sellers on WorldofGood.com gain entry to an exclusive community of products that are positively impacting the world. And, thanks to the customized "Goodprint" feature attached to each product sold, which allows consumers to see the specific social impact that each product leaves on the world, sellers also have an opportunity to communicate directly to buyers what positive impacts their purchase will make. For more information, please visit our seller information hub at www.worldofgood.com. About WorldofGood.com: WorldofGood.com is the result of a joint venture between eBay, the world's largest online marketplace and World of Good, Inc., a small, purpose-driven start-up. A testament to both partners' belief in the power of open and collaborative innovation, the marketplace brings together the unique resources of each company: the power of a global e-commerce platform and the knowledge and deep understanding of the global ethical supply chain. Since its inception, the initiative has rallied around it hundreds of like minded companies, individuals, and organizations; positioning the ethical products industry to achieve unprecedented scale and impact.