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?
Oxfam Unwrapped gifts used to come with a magnet. Why have you changed this?
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 'any part of its work' - what is this and why do you offer it?
What else is included in the price of my Oxfam Unwrapped gift?
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. You get a gift card to give to your friend or relative as a memento of the gift.
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 ‘'Your gift in action'’ 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 that tells you more about your gift. This 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.
If you have selected to send a card with your Oxfam Unwrapped gift, you can make it extra special by adding a box of chocolates, or a little gift booklet that shows Oxfam Unwrapped gifts in action.
Please note you can only order these items at the same time as ordering an Oxfam Unwrapped gift. You can only order one box of chocolates and one booklet with each Oxfam Unwrapped gift. You cannot order chocolates or a gift booklet if you have asked to receive only an e-card.
You can also choose to send an e-card, either on its own, or in addition to a physical gift card.
Oxfam Unwrapped gifts used to come with a magnet. Why have you changed this?
For the past three years the gift card for an Oxfam Unwrapped gift has included a magnet to serve as a memento of the gift you have given or received.
This year we have decided to discontinue providing magnets for two reasons. Firstly the magnets can be costly to produce, and by removing them we can ensure that more of your donation goes directly to fund Oxfam’s work. Secondly, magnets can be difficult to dispose of, as they are not widely recycled. The gift card you now receive is more environmentally friendly as it’s made from paper from sustainable sources and can be recycled.
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.
When I bought my Oxfam Unwrapped gift I was offered the option for Oxfam to use my money to fund ‘any part of its work’ - 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 for any purpose, rather than the specific 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 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 maintaining our website.
On average it costs us £1.50 to print, pack and dispatch Oxfam Unwrapped orders. We offer customers the chance to make a voluntary contribution towards covering these costs, which means that more of your money goes directly towards funding Oxfam’s work. However, if you prefer not to pay this cost then you can leave the box blank when you place your order.
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 prices of the gifts are based on examples of the costs of buying the items around the world. The price 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 running 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 money for Oxfam’s work around the world. We have raised over £50 million and provided over 2,500,000 gifts to more than 60 countries. 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 running costs of the scheme by including this in the price of the gifts. We also ask our customers to make a voluntary contribution toward the costs of printing, packing and delivering Oxfam Unwrapped gift cards. While each catalogue costs only 11 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.