There are many reasons someone may come into your charity shop: on the hunt for a bargain, rummaging for a vintage find, looking for a particular film, album or book. But sometimes, those in your shop may be looking for something more: more info on your cause, how you can help them or family member, how they can give more to your charity.

But with volunteers scarce and often busy in shops, how can you capture the attention of these potential supporters? How can you engage them in what you’re fighting for? Is giving them a leaflet and sending them on their way enough?

We got to thinking about what can help turn more charity shops into community hubs – places where people come to talk, to buy, to join a community of like-minded individuals who want to do more.

Although leaflets are a good way of providing people with information, they’re not very engaging. The cost of printing new information every month or so can really add up and throwing away old leaflets isn’t great for the environment either!

That’s why we created Connect. It enables your head office, area manager, or shop manager to upload content to be displayed on a tablet in your shop. It can be easily updated, aligned with your latest marketing campaigns and it’s more accessible than a stack of leaflets.

We’ve already spoken to some charities who have some great ideas on how they can utilise Connect, such as linking it up to their lottery page so people can sign up in the shop or providing more information about specific local events.

It’s also a great way to provide supporters with more information about what you can do for them. We hope it’ll really help shops create more meaningful connections and turn those shoppers into lifelong supporters.

What would you use Connect for?