“My margins are too thin to donate.”
It is the first thing most owners say — and it is fair. So don't think of a ShopGiv contribution as a donation off your bottom line. Think of it as a customer-acquisition cost: variable, lower-risk than traditional advertising, and triggered only by a closed, paid sale. Zero customers means zero cost.
The honest bar
You come out ahead as long as even ~1 in 8ShopGiv customers is someone you wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
The “1 in 8” above is an illustrative example. The calculator below computes your own break-even from your numbers — it's often a different figure (frequently around 1 in 10) — and lets you set how many of those customers are genuinely new.
Projection based on your inputs — not a guarantee. ShopGiv is pre-launch — these are modeled results, not observed outcomes.
Run it on your numbers
Pick your industry and enter your monthly sales. Everything is a projection from your own inputs — adjust any assumption, including how many customers are genuinely new.
Industry average — adjust to your numbers. Source: Scout industry brief 2026-07-05 (contribution margin estimated from gross margin)
Projection based on your inputs — not a guarantee.
Your break-even
You come out ahead as long as more than 1 in 11 of ShopGiv customers (9%) is someone you would not have gotten otherwise.
Incrementality = the share of ShopGiv customers who are genuinely new (people you would not have gotten otherwise). It is the model's key assumption — adjust it to your own judgment.
Cost per acquired customer
Traditional ad channel: Google LSA ~$233 (888-contractor / 126k-lead dataset).
Traditional ads are a fixed spend paid up front with an uncertain return. Your ShopGiv contribution is paid only on a closed, paid job — zero customers means zero cost.
Projection based on your inputs — not a guarantee.
Effective rate as jobs grow
A per-transaction cap makes your effective % fall on bigger jobs. The amber marker is your current ticket ($275).
Projection based on your inputs — not a guarantee.
This projection reflects how ShopGiv is built to work. ShopGiv is pre-launch: these are modeled results, not observed outcomes.
The recipient is a registered 501(c)(3) (the Stranded Motorist Fund). Whether you treat your contribution as a charitable deduction or a marketing/advertising business expense is a question for your accountant.
Straight answers
My margins are too thin to donate — won't ShopGiv eat my profit?
Think of the ShopGiv contribution as a customer-acquisition cost, not a donation off your bottom line. It is variable and triggered only by a closed, paid sale — zero customers means zero cost. Because the contribution only applies to sales made through ShopGiv, you come out ahead as long as even a small share of those customers are people you would not have gotten otherwise. The calculator on this page shows that break-even on your own numbers. It is a projection from your inputs, not a guarantee.
How does the ShopGiv contribution actually work?
You choose the model and the rate — a percentage of the sale, a flat amount, or a percentage with a per-sale or per-month cap. The contribution is calculated on the pre-tax subtotal of a purchase a customer makes through ShopGiv, and only on closed, paid sales. There is no system default rate; you set what works for your business.
Can I write this off on my taxes?
The recipient is a registered 501(c)(3) (the Stranded Motorist Fund). Whether you treat your contribution as a charitable deduction or a marketing/advertising business expense is a question for your accountant.
Will ShopGiv bring me new customers?
Honestly, that is the assumption you get to judge — nobody can promise a specific number of new customers. That is exactly why the tool leads with the break-even: it shows the share of ShopGiv customers who would need to be genuinely new for you to come out ahead, and lets you set that assumption yourself.
How is this cheaper and lower-risk than traditional advertising?
Traditional ads are a fixed spend paid up front with an uncertain return. A ShopGiv contribution is variable and paid only when a sale actually closes — a slow month costs you less, not more. Use the calculator to compare your cost per acquired customer against typical ad channels.
Give back on your own terms
You set the rate, the model, and the cap. You contribute only on sales made through ShopGiv. Start when you're ready.