Shopping Is Not the Same as Giving

At the peak of the shopping and giving season, consumers are increasingly combining both activities. They are buying products that have charitable tie-ins, shopping through Web portals that send savings to nonprofits and donating at the registers when they check out at physical stores. But some exerpts say charitable shopping hinders giving.

Charitable shopping "undermines the philanthropy of a nonprofit through diminished charitable donations," said Sondra Dellaripa, principal consultant for the nonprofit consultancy Harvest Development Group.

In fundraising development for charities, she said, it is important to build a relationship with a donor, which doesn't happen in these transactions.