Kindness in One Click: Avito Launches Subscription-Based Donations
Avito, Russia’s major classifieds platform for goods, real estate, vehicles, jobs, and services, has introduced Dobraya podpiska (Kindness Subscription), a feature that lets users set up recurring donations to charities through the Znak dobra (Badge of Kindness) initiative.
The new service is designed to make giving easier and more accessible. People and animals in need can receive steady financial support, while donors get a frictionless way to contribute without paperwork or complicated steps.
Choosing Where Your Money Goes
After Avito rolled out Dobraya podpiska in the #yaPomogayu (#IHelp) section as part of the Znak dobra project, more than 2,000 users signed up. The feature allows people to send donations to charities they trust in just a few clicks.
Users can support a wide range of causes. These include animal shelters, the Dari nadezhdu (Give Hope) foundation, which helps older adults, the Teplyy dom (Warm Home) foundation supporting low-income families with children, and the Russian Red Cross, which provides humanitarian aid during emergencies.
Setting It Up in Seconds
Signing up is straightforward. Users visit the Znak dobra page, select Dobraya podpiska, choose a charity, and set a donation amount. The first payment is processed immediately, and the same amount is automatically charged each month. After every donation, users receive a digital Znak dobra badge that can be attached to one of their listings in the “Goods” category. Their profile is also marked with a #yaPomogayu tag.
These digital signals are not just cosmetic. They highlight a user’s contribution, reinforce their social standing on the platform, and can encourage others to participate in charitable initiatives.
According to Avito, users can subscribe to any participating charity within the Znak dobra program. If, for any reason, a user cannot continue donating, they can cancel the automatic payment at any time through the Znak dobra or #yaPomogayu settings, or switch to a different recipient.
Donations Become a Habit
The launch of a monthly donation feature on a platform with tens of millions of users reflects a broader shift. Social and charitable mechanisms are increasingly embedded into digital ecosystems. Users gain a simple and reliable way to support nonprofits on a regular basis, while visible badges help normalize and promote ongoing giving.
Globally, recurring donation models are already used by platforms like PayPal Giving Fund and GoFundMe. Avito’s approach stands out because it integrates philanthropy directly into a marketplace environment, where a user’s charitable activity can influence their reputation and even attract buyers interested in supporting causes through their purchases.
If Avito expands the number of participating charities, the feature could become a scalable channel for regional and specialized nonprofits to attract recurring donors. More broadly, Dobraya podpiska turns philanthropy into a routine user behavior. It also signals a shift in platform design, where buying and selling increasingly coexist with social engagement, and where features like payments, subscriptions, and digital badges help build a reputation for giving. In the longer term, such features could become standard across digital ecosystems, where users not only buy and sell goods and services but also participate in social initiatives.
