How to use Amazon Wish Lists to donate to people and organizations in need

Amazon Wish Lists have become a frequently shared and efficient way for people and organizations to get needed items shipped to them directly, without waiting for cash donations to come in or using their own time to purchase necessities.  

The fundraising tool is used by a wide variety of online users, especially popular among teachers requesting needed items for classrooms. Amazon even “clears out” the lists of select teachers around the start of the school year. Celebrities and online influencers have also been known to share or clear the lists of both individuals and charities around the country. You might even spot Amazon lists linked in the bios of people on Twitter, Instagram, or, more frequently now, TikTok — often added at the request of viewers who want to help creators who go viral for sharing personal stories and hardships. 

Donating physical items from lists created by organizations and individuals themselves, instead of general fundraising campaigns, might reassure those who have reservations about donating money online. It’s one way to feel like you’re giving something tangible to causes and people important to you. 

Read below for a few tips on how to find and donate to these online lists.

Individual lists

Amazon users have long been able to make their own Wish Lists, and create registries for things like weddings and baby showers, but you might not know how to find others’ lists. The site’s registry and gifting page holds all the answers for those looking to donate items to individuals like teachers in your area, online strangers asking for help, or even friends in need. 

Credit: Mashable / Amazon

For now, it’s not possible to search through Amazon Wish Lists without knowing some key information. First, you’ll need the title of the list itself, or the name of the list’s creator (preferably both). Then, find out what kind of list they created— you can search through Wedding Registries, Baby Registries, Birthday Gift Lists, or Custom Gift Lists. For general fundraising and donations, most people will probably use the Custom Gift List option. 

If needed, you can narrow down your search by location and date it was posted using the menu on the left side of the desktop page. This might come in handy for finding a specific teacher in your area, or narrowing down from a common name.

Wish Lists won’t show up in the search unless the creator makes them public. 

Charity lists 

Amazon has a separate page specifically for Wish Lists created by charities and organizations using the site to fundraise items. The list is part of the AmazonSmile program, which donates a percentage of a user’s purchases to a charity of their choice. 

Charity lists are organized into separate categories, which includes things like pets and animals, environment, human services, and health. You can support places like the ASPCA, Toys for Tots, or even local chapters of large organizations like Make-A-Wish. 

You can search for a specific organization without narrowing down a category, or browse or search through related organizations addressing similar causes. Select the organization you’d like to support and browse through multiple Wish Lists created by the organization. Some of these lists are organized into categories of items, others by the exact program you’d be supporting within the organization, all depending on its needs.

Credit: Mashable / Amazon

List makers can note which items are most in demand  — look for the green banner at the top of the listing that reads “High Priority.”

Personal use 

You might also use Lists yourself, for personal needs or to fundraise for yourself, another individual, or charity in your area. If you have an Amazon account, here’s how to make your own Wish List:

1. After logging in on either desktop or the mobile app, find your lists by clicking the account menu — click the three lines in mobile or go to the Accounts & Lists section on desktop. 

2. Create a list by selecting the “Create a List” button. Make sure to set it to public if you want it to be discoverable in general searches. 

3. After creating, invite people to view, or even edit, the list using the Invite button on the top left of the screen. 

4. To edit an item on a list, select the three dots under the listing on the mobile app or use the settings on the right side of the listing while on desktop. You can move, delete, or set a priority for each item.