Frequently asked questions – click the links to find the answer.
What is Oxfam’s online shop?
What is Oxfam Unwrapped?
Can I find out more about the people/projects my Oxfam Unwrapped gifts have funded?
What do we/my recipient get if we purchase an Oxfam Unwrapped gift?
Can you send me a catalogue?
Will my money fund the actual Oxfam Unwrapped gift I choose?
For my Oxfam Unwrapped gift I was offered the option for Oxfam to use my money for 'something else' - what is this and why do you offer it?
What else is included in the price of my Oxfam Unwrapped gift?
I see some Oxfam Unwrapped gifts include a DVD. What’s that?
How do you choose the Oxfam Unwrapped gifts that are sold and how do you price them?
How much do you spend on the marketing and production of Oxfam Unwrapped?
Still not found the answer to your question? Contact us.
What is Oxfam’s online shop?
It’s the answer to all your shopping needs. It combines our Oxfam Unwrapped gifts, Fair Trade and ethical food and gifts, as well as unique goods donated to our High Street shops – from books and music to clothes and homeware. You can place an order of any combination of these gifts and products and then sit back and wait to receive them. Or send them directly to a friend or family member to celebrate any occasion!
All the money raised supports Oxfam’s work to fight poverty and suffering overseas and in the UK.
What is Oxfam Unwrapped?
Oxfam Unwrapped offers a range of great gifts suitable for any occasion – here’s how it works. You choose a gift, such as a goat, for Aunty Janet. She’ll get a card and magnet as a memento of the gift, and if your gift costs £50 or more it comes with a free DVD and gift box too! Or you could choose to send an e-card, telling her all about the gift and how it helps.)
The gift goes to someone who needs it. Whether it’s a cow to provide milk and fertiliser, the tools and training to plant an allotment, or safe water to drink, the result is that people’s lives are much improved!
Can I find out more about the people/projects my Oxfam Unwrapped gifts have funded?
Please view the ‘My Gift’ pages to see where your gifts have been used and what impact they have had on the lives of countless people. Unfortunately, we are unable to tell you exactly where the particular gift that you have bought will have gone, as this would be too costly, and mean that less money would be available to use where it is needed most.
What do we/my recipient get if we purchase an Oxfam Unwrapped gift?
When you buy an Oxfam Unwrapped gift you get a gift card and fridge magnet that explain a bit about the gift. These can be delivered to you to pass on in person, or sent directly to the recipient. You can choose from 11 designs for the front of your gift card (or a picture of your chosen gift, if you prefer) and add a personal message to be printed inside.
Gifts costing £50 or more also come with a gift box, which contains your gift card and magnet, postcards and an exclusive DVD, featuring a host of funny people like Johnny Vegas, Justin Lee Collins, Jenny Eclair and Meera Syal.
You can also choose to send an e-card, either on its own, or in addition to the gifts above.
Can you send me a catalogue?
Yes, you just need to complete your details on our request a catalogue form and this will be despatched by first class post within three working days. This catalogue just contains the Oxfam Unwrapped gifts.
Will my money fund the actual Oxfam Unwrapped gift I choose?
Read about how we spend your money.
For my Oxfam Unwrapped gift I was offered the option for Oxfam to use my money for 'something else' - what is this and why do you offer it?
A significant number of our customers enjoy the fun and unusual nature of Oxfam Unwrapped gifts, but want to maximise the value of their gift. By offering this option we enable those people to allow Oxfam to spend the money on something other than the gift they choose, if necessary. This flexibility helps us because the needs of poor communities change. For instance, we may need to respond to a natural disaster, like a flood or earthquake, or we might need more funding for particular programmes like HIV/AIDS.
However, we are grateful for the support of all of our customers and we do understand if you'd prefer not to take this option. All of our gifts make a real difference to real people all over the world.
What else is included in the price of my Oxfam Unwrapped gift?
The price of an Oxfam Unwrapped gift includes everything needed to deliver the gift and ensure it can be used as effectively as possible – from the item itself, to transport, training and support, plus up to ten percent to cover local running costs. We also include the costs of running Oxfam Unwrapped, such as producing our catalogue and website, and posting the gift cards and magnets.
I see some Oxfam Unwrapped gifts include a DVD. What’s that?
Actually, it’s not just a DVD. It’s a gift box that includes your card and magnet, 3 postcards featuring Oxfam photos, and a DVD. The DVD itself is packed with great features, including exclusive footage of funny people like Johnny Vegas, Justin Lee Collins and Jenny Eclair talking about their best and worst present experiences, and films made by Zoe Ball and Bill Nighy showing Oxfam in action. So there’s something for everyone. The DVD and gift box comes with any Oxfam Unwrapped gift that costs £50 or more.
How do you choose the Oxfam Unwrapped gifts that are sold and how do you price them?
We design our Oxfam Unwrapped catalogue around the needs of the communities who we work with, and all the gifts have been identified as essential by these communities. The pricing of gifts is based on the average costs of buying the items around the world. The cost includes the costs associated with delivering and maintaining the item or service. For example the price of a goat includes transport for the animal to reach its destination, vaccinations, training in animal husbandry, a project coordinator, market awareness training and the costs of Oxfam Unwrapped.
How much do you spend on the marketing and production of Oxfam Unwrapped
Oxfam Unwrapped has proved a very cost-effective way of raising lots of money for Oxfam’s work around the world. We have raised over £45 million and provided over 2,500,000 gifts to more than 50 countries already. Our aim is to make the best use of our supporters’ money, minimising cost and maximising income to make the biggest possible difference to the lives of people living in poverty around the world.
We recover the production and distribution costs of the catalogues and cards by including this in the price of the gifts. While each catalogue costs only 19 pence to produce, our average order is over £40.
Across the whole of Oxfam we aim to secure at least £6 in income for every £1 invested in attracting and maintaining financial support.
For every £1 given to Oxfam GB, including Oxfam Unwrapped, 80p is spent directly on our emergency, development and campaigns work, 10p is spent on support and running costs, and 10p is invested to raise more money.