GiveBackBox
GiveBackBox is a donation logistics platform that lets consumers reuse online-retail shipping boxes to donate clothing and household items, connecting individual donors, enterprise retailers, and over 100 charities across the US, Canada, and UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What GiveBackBox does
GiveBackBox, founded in 2012 by Monika Wiela and operated through the legal entity MBSS Inc dba The Give Back Box, is a donation logistics platform that connects individual donors, online retailers, and charitable organizations around the secondary use of corrugated shipping boxes. The platform enables consumers to print free prepaid shipping labels via givebackbox.shop, repack the boxes they received from online purchases with clothing, shoes, accessories, and household items, and ship them to nearby participating charities identified by zip code. The company is explicitly structured as a vendor providing IT and logistical infrastructure rather than as a charitable solicitor itself, with a separate non-profit arm (Give Back Box Charity) that accepts tax-deductible monthly pledges.
The technology stack is a web-based logistics platform composed of three core components: a prepaid shipping label generation system (subsidized by retailer partners), a charity routing engine that matches donors to the nearest participating charity based on donor location, and a tracking-number-linked tax receipt generation module for account-holding donors. The platform supports two monetization tracks for end users — free labels for clothing and accessories (paid by retailers) and a $20-per-box transaction fee for non-partner or ineligible items — and offers drop-off at UPS, FedEx, and USPS locations plus USPS home pickup. Beyond the consumer interface, GiveBackBox licenses its donation infrastructure to enterprise retailers, generating professional-services revenue tied to CSR, sustainability positioning, and cause-based marketing differentiation. Customer segments include large enterprise retailers (Amazon, Nordstrom, Levi's, REI, Newegg, Overstock, Aldo, Away), over 100 participating charities (Goodwill, American Cancer Society Discovery Shops, Sneaker Impact, I Support the Girls), a long tail of smaller apparel and lifestyle brand partners, and a consumer base that has shipped over 1 million boxes and diverted 19 million pieces of clothing from landfills since inception. Geographic coverage includes the US, Canada, and UK.
GiveBackBox firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GiveBackBox
- Legal name
- MBSS Inc
- Website
- https://givebackbox.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- GiveBackBox is a donation logistics platform that lets consumers reuse online-retail shipping boxes to donate clothing and household items, connecting individual donors, enterprise retailers, and over 100 charities across the US, Canada, and UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GiveBackBox industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Donation Logistics Platform
- NAICS
- Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Donation Pickup & Reuse Hauling (HSAKALAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Donation, Reuse & Sustainability Returns Programs (TLAIAHAJ), Donation, Resale & Disposal Coordination (HSAFAAAK)
Keywords
Where GiveBackBox is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
GiveBackBox business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Retailer Partnership Model: GiveBackBox acts as a vendor providing IT and logistical infrastructure to retailers and charities. Retailers pay for the service which provides them with CSR and sustainability credentials, brand recognition, and deeper customer relationships.
- Paid Donation Shipping: For non-partner donations or items outside the free category (large electronics, liquids, toys, books, sheets, household items), donors pay $20 per box to ship to over 100 participating charities. This covers shipping of one box up to 50 lb.
- Monthly Pledges: GiveBackBox Charity accepts monthly pledges from supporters. As a non-profit organization, these pledges are tax deductible.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free label program for clothing and accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | $20 per box for other donation items |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
GiveBackBox product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GiveBackBox operates a donation logistics platform that enables individuals to donate unwanted household items by reusing cardboard shipping boxes received from online retailers. The company partners with e-commerce retailers who include GiveBackBox fliers in their shipping boxes, allowing customers to print prepaid shipping labels and ship donated items to participating local charities. The platform also generates tax-deduction receipts for donors and provides IT and logistical infrastructure to retailers and charities.
Product overview
Give Back Box operates as a single unified donation platform that connects donors with charities through reusable shipping boxes. The core product includes the Give Back Box Donation Platform and Shipping Label Service, which work together to enable convenient donation of clothing and household items. Additional offerings include a Free Label Program for basic donations, a Tax Deduction Receipt System for account holders, and a Monthly Pledge Program for ongoing support. The platform also includes specialized programs like the LEGO Replay partnership. The company (MBSS Inc dba The Give Back Box) acts as a vendor providing IT and logistical infrastructure to retailers and charities, not as a direct charity solicitor.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Give Back Box Donation Platform A donation platform that enables individuals to donate unwanted household items by reusing cardboard shipping boxes. Users print prepaid shipping labels from the website, pack donations (clothing, shoes, accessories), and ship to participating charities.
- Give Back Box Shipping Label Service Provides prepaid shipping labels for donors to ship boxes to charities. Partners bear the cost of shipping for free labels; non-partner or non-clothing donations require a $20 per-box fee covering shipping of one box up to 50 lb.
- Monthly Pledge Program Monthly giving program for supporters of Give Back Box Charity. Pledges are tax deductible as Give Back Box has non-profit status.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million boxes shipped and recycled since 2012, diverting 19 million pieces of clothing (13+ million pounds) from landfills.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use GiveBackBox
Customer profileNamed customers25 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GiveBackBox technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
GiveBackBox partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Newegg.comcoreFirst major retailer partner. Newegg placed GiveBackBox fliers in all boxes shipped to customers, recommending customers re-use boxes to donate clothes, accessories, and household items using prepaid shipping labels.
- OverstockcoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program, enabling customers to donate through reused shipping boxes.
- AmazoncoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- NordstromcoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- LEGOflagshipLEGO Replay program partner. In 2019, 50,000 lb of LEGO bricks were donated. Step towards creating a circular business model by encouraging consumers to pass on LEGO bricks to children in need.
- noissuecoreSustainable packaging partner providing eco-friendly branded packaging cards for businesses. Cards inform customers about GiveBackBox partnership and how to reuse shipping boxes. Provides tissue, mailers, tape, boxes, stickers, totes, stamps, and shipping labels.
- Levi'scoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- Ann TaylorcoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- LoftcoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- REIcoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- BonoboscoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- AsicscoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- Scrubs & BeyondcoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- eBagscoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- Lou & GreycoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- Viva TerracoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- EcrucoreMajor U.S. retailer partner in the GiveBackBox program.
- GoodwillcoreParticipating charity partner. Donations are directed to local Goodwill locations which sort and sell items to fund community-based programs including job training and employment placement.
- American Cancer Society Discovery ShopscoreDiscovery Shops accept high quality gently used donated merchandise including luxury clothes, apparel, shoes, accessories, collectibles, jewelry, electronics. Revenues support cancer research, prevention education, patient support, and advocacy.
- Sneaker ImpactminorSocial enterprise partner for recycling gently used sneakers and keeping them out of landfills while creating opportunities for people in need.
- I Support the GirlsminorPartner accepting new and gently used bras, new underwear, pads, and tampons (not clothing, shoes, accessories, or household items). Limited time prepaid postage available.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GiveBackBox competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Eileen Fisher Renew: Brand-owned take-back and resale program for Eileen Fisher garments. Represents the kind of in-house circular program that retailers might pursue instead of partnering with GiveBackBox.
- Patagonia (Worn Wear): Patagonia's branded take-back and resale program lets customers trade in used Patagonia apparel for credit. Competes for brand-led circular apparel programs that GiveBackBox also enables via its retailer partnerships.
- For Days: Clothing take-back and exchange subscription service. Operates a similar closed-loop apparel model with consumer-driven donation/recycling flows.
Direct peers
- Helpsy: Clothing and textile collection service partnering with municipalities, retailers, and charities for curbside and drop-off textile reuse. Closely comparable reverse-logistics and charity-routing model.
- Trashie: Take-back rewards platform that mails prepaid shipping labels for clothing/textile recycling in exchange for brand credits. Direct competitor on the prepaid-label donation mechanic GiveBackBox pioneered.
- ThredUp: Online resale platform that processes donated and consigned clothing, directly competing for the same pool of gently used apparel that GiveBackBox routes to charity. Operates a managed marketplace model with both consumer and brand resale programs.
- The Renewal Workshop: B2B textile renewal and take-back service provider working with apparel brands to recover, clean, and resell returned and unsold garments. Directly comparable as a brand-facing circular logistics platform.
Broad incumbents
- Goodwill Industries International: Largest nonprofit thrift and donation network in North America with thousands of retail stores. Receives routed donations from GiveBackBox and competes for the same donor mindshare.
- I:CO (I:Collect): Global textile and footwear take-back and recycling operator serving large retailers with in-store collection bins and reverse logistics. Closest large-scale incumbent in the apparel/footwear donation logistics space.
- TerraCycle: Specialty recycling company operating brand-funded take-back programs for hard-to-recycle materials and consumer goods. Competes for the brand-funded circular logistics layer GiveBackBox also serves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GiveBackBox social profiles
Digital presenceGiveBackBox financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GiveBackBox leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
GiveBackBox funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GiveBackBox M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GiveBackBox
What does GiveBackBox do?
GiveBackBox operates a donation logistics platform that enables individuals to donate unwanted household items by reusing cardboard shipping boxes received from online retailers. The company partners with e-commerce retailers who include GiveBackBox fliers in their shipping boxes, allowing customers to print prepaid shipping labels and ship donated items to participating local charities. The platform also generates tax-deduction receipts for donors and provides IT and logistical infrastructure to retailers and charities.
Is GiveBackBox a public or private company?
GiveBackBox is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was GiveBackBox founded?
GiveBackBox was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is GiveBackBox based?
GiveBackBox is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does GiveBackBox make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retailer Partnership Model is the primary driver. The others are paid Donation Shipping and monthly Pledges.
Who are GiveBackBox's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Eileen Fisher Renew, Patagonia (Worn Wear) and For Days. Direct peers are Helpsy, Trashie, ThredUp and The Renewal Workshop. Broad incumbents are Goodwill Industries International, I:CO (I:Collect) and TerraCycle.
Does GiveBackBox have an API?
No public API is recorded for GiveBackBox.
What industry is GiveBackBox in?
GiveBackBox's product category is Donation Logistics Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAKALAI, Donation Pickup & Reuse Hauling, with a secondary code of TLAIAHAJ, Donation, Reuse & Sustainability Returns Programs. Its NAICS code is 562920 and its SIC code is 4953.