Live in Wayfarer 3.1 is a new set of acceptance criteria! Please browse the information in this category with caution as it is in reference to the previous review guidelines. To learn more about the new criteria, see here: https://niantic.helpshift.com/a/wayfarer/

Would charity shops be acceptable or would they fall under generic business?

Im thinking of shops like Oxfam, or cancer research shops, british heart foundation, things of that nature. Only came across them once or twice while reviewing but skipped them as wasnt sure

Answers

  • Faversham71-PGOFaversham71-PGO Posts: 1,143 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Generally I'd consider them generic businesses. Worthy organisations but not interesting. A very local charity with clear importance to the local community would be a different matter.

  • TheFarix-PGOTheFarix-PGO Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How would they meet criteria? Just because they are a charity shop doesn't automatically make them eligible.

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2020

    Goodwill only has 2,800 locations world wide. I think seeing some statistics on the total amount of each should be provided to help support the decision. People often think some of these charity locations have millions when in reality it is a far smaller number than people realize.

    Post edited by Dice3423-ING on
  • YouLostAStar-INGYouLostAStar-ING Posts: 280 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Charity shops are not eligible, there used to be a #missionsforgood campaign years ago when they could be submitted but that finished and charity shops are no longer eligible

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭

    October 2019 Update to Wayfarer in Help.

    Are charity headquarters valid candidates? If they have cultural significance or have done something significant for the community, sure. Just make sure the Wayspot description mentions the significance to help other reviewers take the call.

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭

    For me Goodwill is an example. Yes the headquarters is allowed. But other locations are just as important to some members of the community. Donation centers are very important to the community and they are not just donation bins that other guidance declines.

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭

    October 2019 Update to Wayfarer help.

    While little free libraries are valid portal candidates, what about blessing boxes (miniature food and hygiene banks)? At this time no. Libraries are part of our criteria and are included as a nod to education and discovery. Blessing boxes would not fall into this category.


    Blessing and donation boxes should be rejected. in my opinion.

  • NorthSeaPoet-INGNorthSeaPoet-ING Posts: 895 ✭✭✭✭✭

    At the present time, charity shops are deemed to not fit under criteria as they're basically generic businesses.

    They used to be allowed with under the #missionsforgood campaign but that was a long time ago now.

    Also, given that charity shops are becoming a more and more common sight in some towns/cities, it would be quite dull if there was a multitude of them as wayspots in Ingress/PoGo/HPWU.

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭

    114k uk postboxes in total. Yet people are complaining about one charity per city? It is not a ridiculous amount of charities to review. Most people can approve 2,800 wayspots in a week right now easily. We have spent more time discussion than it would of been reviewing and approving all. But if guidance is needed to decide. Casey has the question.

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭

    Everyone calls it a generic business when it is a unique business to each community.... My name is Gabriel0322. Thanks.

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭

    Gas Stations and Convenience stores are more a generic business.


    Guidance from Niantic email rejection. "The real-world location of the nomination appears to represent a generic store or restaurant."

  • Gazzas89-PGOGazzas89-PGO Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Unfortunately too many people like the generic business tag for everything, theres loads of wee one off shops open for years and well known in the area/city, same for resteraunts, that would pass but get hit with generic business


    For example theres a hole ship in Glasgow called tams joke shop, it's been around since the 50s, is one if a kind and it's well known in Glasgow but I'm 90%, sure it would get the "generic business". Theres also a cafe called cafe d'jaconelli, sane idea, been around from the 50s or maybe the 40s, it's never changed hands out of the family that runs it, it was even used to film a cafe scene from the movie trainspotting, but it got rejected as generic business

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2020

    Your examples to me would be allowed.

    Pubs and Restaurants that serve alcohol (including mall food courts)

    • Acceptable: Eateries that have been featured prominently in travel guides, those with historical or cultural significance, or establishments that are popular tourist destinations. Establishments that serve alcoholic beverages like bars and pubs are acceptable. 
    • Not acceptable: Generic businesses with no distinguishing feature or significance or those that offer adult services (e.g. liquor stores, adult entertainment, sho oting ranges, firearm stores that also offer food or snacks).

    Being in a movie makes it a popular tourist destination.

    Post edited by Abyshekm-PGO on
  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2020

    Response is pending approval. But I shared the criteria from Wayfarer saying you examples would be approved per the January 2020 update. They would be considered tourist attractions. A restaurant being in a movie would make it a tourist destination. A unique ship that is well known is probably also in tourist guides. Which would make them eligible.

  • Gazzas89-PGOGazzas89-PGO Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Gabriel0322-PGO the cafe got rejected. It could be a tourist spot but it's a bot out the way to be a popular one .... though if it did get through with the movie mentioned in description it might get more people lol


    We dont really have tourist guides in the uk, so I dont think the shop would be in one

  • Dice3423-INGDice3423-ING Posts: 817 ✭✭✭✭

    There is tourist guides online everywhere.

    Here is a london link for tourist guides from google maps. Kent Island has one too.

    I am sure if you looked hard enough you could find them.

  • NorthSeaPoet-INGNorthSeaPoet-ING Posts: 895 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2020

    This discussion is NOT about postboxes, so please keep it to the topic at the hand.

    Charity shops are deemed generic business under Niantic's criteria. Ergo, they are not allowed at this time.

    They were allowed once upon a time under the #missionsforgood campaign but has long since ended.

    Also, there are more than one charity shop per town/city. As an example, my town has at least 10 different charity shops. Given that there is nothing unique about any of them since they sell pretty much the same as any other charity shop, they're generic businesses.

  • NorthSeaPoet-INGNorthSeaPoet-ING Posts: 895 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You have to ask yourself, what makes these businesses unique? Being open a long time isn't enough to make them unique. There's a chippie around the corner from me that's the longest running in the area, it's still just a chippie.

    A cafe that's been featured in a film I'd likely say yes to if the description is well written and there's evidence in the support statement to confirm that it was featured in a film.

    A pub near where I live was in the new Dad's Army film, when I subbed it, I made sure to mention that and give evidence of what I was saying in regards to that, rather than just assuming reviewers would approve it automatically.

  • Senmana-INGSenmana-ING Posts: 129 ✭✭✭✭

    It would take a lot for most reviewers to see a charity shop as being anything other than a generic business. They do a lot for their local communities but on their own they're not exactly a unique business that would be mentioned in travel guides and get people travelling from out of town to visit.

  • Gazzas89-PGOGazzas89-PGO Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NicoSolheim-ING it wasnt me sho submitted the cafe, but the person who did put in both the cafes history and the fact it was in a movie

  • 0ryanKetchum-PGO0ryanKetchum-PGO Posts: 15 ✭✭

    I personally believe by definition a CHARITY is not a business it is non-profit as such should not fall under generic business tag. I really think they need to bring these back as eligible stops. Even if it reminds one person to donate clothing or buy from a business that donates all proceeds to charity that is a win in my book. I believe the CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE far out-ways its genericness. It doesn't cost Niantic anything to have more stops in game especially when it can have a positive impact on the public. Just my opinion I understand if the rules don't currently allow them.

  • FrealafGB-PGOFrealafGB-PGO Posts: 354 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2020

    As I understand it, headquarters or one of a kind charity locations can potentially be eligible, but not shops for larger charities with multiple sites such as Oxfam. There are some in games already which usually confuses people too about eligibility.

    I do think the shops should be because of their value to the community and for their cultural importance. I know that our local ones will often give work experience to young people with special educational needs, and they are used as community hubs hosting little events periodically. I think its a shame that they can't featured in the games.

  • grsmhiker-INGgrsmhiker-ING Posts: 176 ✭✭✭✭

    Goodwill might "technically" be a charity, but that's questionable and they pay their top brass huge salaries while the good that they give to local communities is by providing "jobs" at far below minimum wage. To me I don't see what criteria a charity shop meets and I usually reject them as generic business. It would be tough to get one approved... It took me three tries to get a Salvation Army church approved because reviewers kept rejecting it as a business, when in fact it was one of their places of worship that holds church services.

  • Sugarstarzkill-PGOSugarstarzkill-PGO Posts: 437 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yeah goodwill/salvation army shops aren't the type I'd like to see approved. I tried a few local/one of a kind local charities when I was a newer submitter. They all got denied as generic businesses (plus some off the wall reasons, par for the course). One was the local soup kitchen that's been giving out free meals 365 days a year for 30+ years. Sole location. The local cat shelter (they run community events, free shots and spaying/neutering, etc) and one that helps people finding/preparing for a job (not a government thing, it's a non profit local place). They help writing resumes, practice interviewing skills, and business attire so people can get a free interview outfit. Help applying for jobs and applying for college. Etc. But, they don't pass because they're not really eligible because it's not a "charity headquarter". C'est la vie.

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