eBay buyers and sellers raised a record $50 million for U.S. and U.K. nonprofit organizations so far in 2009. eBay Giving Works, eBay's online fundraising program that allows individuals to donate while using eBay, has enabled users to contribute more than $162 million to their favorite causes since 2003. The program, called eBay for Charity in the U.K., has provided a new online fundraising channel to more than 21,000 organizations, from small, community-based parent-teacher associations and animal rescues to nationally recognized nonprofits like Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Oxfam, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

eBay said a recent study conducted by Columbia Business School in late 2009 of eBay shopping behavior indicated that eBay buyers are actually willing to pay more to do good. Results showed that an eBay Giving Works item advertising that 10 percent of proceeds will be given to charity is nearly 20 percent more likely to sell than its non-charity equivalent, and at a two percent higher price.

Eight nonprofits in the U.S. have raised more than $1 million with eBay Giving Works, and the most money raised for charity from a single listing on eBay was $2.1 million in 2008, for a power lunch with Warren Buffett benefiting the Glide Foundation. The same auction in 2009 went for $1.68 million.

"The eBay community has proven time and again that small actions, when brought to scale, can have a big impact," said eBay Inc. CEO John Donahoe. "It's what makes the eBay marketplace so unique, and what enables our community to do good things for causes they believe in. I want to thank every single buyer and seller who connected through eBay and gave back to their communities through eBay Giving Works. Your generosity this year, especially in such a tough economy, isn't just impressive - it's inspiring. We're looking forward to helping you do even more good next year."