Are you charitable at checkout time? The down side of donating...

If you’ve been to a grocery store or pharmacy, you’ve probably been hit up for charity at checkout. 

It’s a big win trend for charitable organizations - but it does have a downside. According to a market research study, customers who do give - give only once. It can actually deter them from making larger contributions to a charity they have researched and care about. Customers who don’t give often report feeling blindsided and resent being asked to give publicly. 

Another negative side-effect of “cause marketing” is the halo effect. Another study found that people who buy “green” products or those with a portion of the proceeds going to a charity often feel “off the hook.” They’ve done they’re good deed for the day and actually feel more empowered to misbehave.