The single biggest influence on what a donation device raises is not the device itself. It is where you put it. A capable, well-configured unit in a quiet corner will gather little, while the same device in the right spot can earn many times more. Placement is the cheapest lever a charity has, and it is worth thinking about with care before a device goes on the wall or the floor.
Follow the footfall
People can only give where they pass. The strongest locations are the ones everyone moves through: the main entrance and exit, the reception, a busy corridor, the route past a shop or café, and the spot where a queue forms. A device tucked away from the flow of people, however handsome, simply will not be seen by enough of them. Begin by mapping where your visitors actually walk, and place the device on that path.
Catch the right moment
Footfall alone is not enough. The best spot also catches people at a moment when giving feels natural. That is often as a visitor leaves, having just experienced what your organisation does, or while they wait with a moment to spare. A device at the exit of an exhibition, beside a candle stand, or near where people pause tends to do better than one met on the way in, before the experience has had its effect.
Height, reach and a clear approach
A device that is awkward to reach loses gifts and excludes people. Mount or stand it at a height a seated visitor as well as a standing one can use comfortably, keep the screen at a natural eye line, and leave clear space so a wheelchair user can approach head on. Good placement and good accessibility are the same thing, and getting them right widens the number of people who can give.
A clear ask and a little signage
A device works best when a passer-by understands at a glance what it is for. A short, clear line about the cause, and a simple prompt to tap, turn a curious glance into a gift. The device should look established and part of the place, carrying your name, so it reads as trustworthy rather than as an afterthought left in a corner. Our guide to branding a donation kiosk on screen and in hardware covers how to get that look right.
Test, measure and move
Even a well-chosen spot is a hypothesis until the figures confirm it. The reporting that comes with Give A Little shows what each device raises and where, so you can compare locations honestly. A unit that underperforms may simply be in the wrong place, and moving it a few metres to a busier path or a better moment can transform what it gathers. Treat placement as something to refine rather than settle once.
If you run more than one device, this becomes a quiet advantage. You can learn from the spot that does best and apply the lesson elsewhere, placing each new device where the evidence points. Over time, that turns guesswork into a reliable sense of where giving happens in your particular setting.
Want every device to earn its place? Compare the range on our comparison chart, see the reporting that guides placement on the Give A Little page, or explore the CharityStand, CharityWall and CharityPole.