Salvation Army launches online store to reach more customers

Stores asked to send 10 items a week

DETROIT – The Salvation Army has a new e-commerce warehouse where they store boxes of donated items that will be sold online.

“We are thrilled to be doing this and be the pilot operation for the central territory,” Jacqulynn Idzior, with the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center, said. “As you said, this is in addition to the 31 stores that we have.”

In addition to the Salvation Army’s stores, customers can now shop online. It’s an option that’s been two to three years in the making and is useful now more than ever. The items you’ll see for sale online are a mix of things you’d find at their physical stores.

Read: Donations soar but nonprofits still struggle with pandemic

“Our store managers are actually picking all the items right now,” Idzior said. “We’re asking the stores to send us about ten items a week.”

“There will be quality clothing, furnishings, household items, brick,” Major Randal Polsley said. “There will be quality items in those stores well. This is a portion of what you’ll see in those stores.”

The money made from sales goes to fund the Salvation Army’s missions -- like the Adult Rehabilitation Center. People like Miqua Dorsey, a recovering addict, are thankful for the work they do.

“It’s a wonderful thing,” Dorsey said. “It gives more people access to the goods we provide, which pays for our centers. That is what supports us and why we’re able to keep the doors open for other people that are going through what I was going through to be able to come in and get some help.”

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“During the pandemic, we hurt,” Dorsey said. “We had to shut down all of our stores and that then hurts our mission, right? Because everything is funded by our generous donors that are dropping off at our stores and then the shoppers then that come in and buy.”

With the addition of the e-commerce website, the Salvation Army can potentially make up for any revenue lost and allow shoppers from all over to buy online.

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About the Authors:

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.