While consumers are increasingly combining shopping and giving, making feel-good purchases from stores and companies that offer charity tie-ins, such spending might not significantly benefit organizations and causes, says Reuters in its Your Money personal-finance feature.

Sondra Dellaripa of nonprofit consultant Harvest Development Group said charitable shopping “undermines the philanthropy of a nonprofit through diminished charitable donations” and bypasses the crucial work of developing relationships with donors.

The article offers advice on understanding shopping with a charity benefit.