SocialGoodies.com, a daily deals site, launches

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Trawling daily deals websites has become a bit of a hobby for us — but it doesn’t exactly feel like a good deed (more like a burgeoning addiction). Which is why we were elated to learn about SocialGoodies.com, a new fashion, accessories and gifts daily deals site that donates 20% of all gross sales to charity.

Launched in late May by Carie Salter, a young mom in Pasadena who’s packing a Harvard MBA degree, SocialGoodies hatched from an idea Salter had when while consulting for a nonprofit organization.

‘I found that nonprofits had been — and continue to be — hit very hard by the recession,’ she said. ‘Instead of writing a meaningful personal check to a given charity, I wanted to create a business that could generate funds for a variety of different charities for many years to come. At the time, online deal sites were beginning to gain popularity, and I thought this would be a great way to raise money for amazing nonprofit organizations.’

Here’s how it works: A deal offer comes into your inbox every morning, showcasing merchandise discounted more than 50% off retail. If you choose to buy the goodies, you are taken to a page where you are able to choose one of three charities to donate to by way or your purchase — or split your donation among all three organizations.

The site’s charities rotate monthly, and Salter pre-screens the national charities ‘so our customers have confidence that the 20% of their purchase price going to charity will be used for good,’ she noted.

And the merchandise is great — recent treasures have included Kor water bottles, 80s Purple sunglasses and Kristen Elspeth jewelry — discounted from 50% to 70% off. Upcoming deals include discounts on Shoebuy.com (July 6) and Elva Fields jewelry (July 8.)

‘We like to say that we offer a true guilt-free shopping experience because we turn every purchase into an opportunity to meaningfully give back,’ said Salter, adding that the company’s current goal is to raise $2 million in two years (total donations are already at around $27,000.)

‘To us, charity is not a gimmick or a trend,’ she said. ‘We truly want to make a difference and have people join our movement, which is why we’re so transparent about exactly how much money is being donated to charity. We are dedicated to raising money for ... charities that are making the world a better place.’

-- Emili Vesilind