Firstly we partnered with 10 of the worlds biggest and most trusted retailers, each hand-picked to allow shoppers to buy anything they need, from just a simple choice of retailers. Through our partnerships we were able to send shoppers to the front page of each of our retailer's sites, rather than just to a specific product. Everything the shopper purchased on that visit therefore earned a commission, rather than just the one item.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the site dropped a cookie, which meant if the user returned to the retailer anytime in the next month and made another purchase, we would again receive a commission, even if they went to the retailer direct.

With a charitable cause behind the site, shoppers had more incentive than ever to click through to our select group of retailers. With such a considerable draw card, we were then able to negotiate a much higher commission - as much as 15% of every purchase.

Finally, we encouraged shoppers to set 'Homepage for the Homeless' as their homepage, so it was always there before they shopped online. That way they never missed an opportunity to help the homeless.

The keyhole around each logo was purposefully designed as both a visual reminder of the cause and to give the sense that shoppers had to click through before they made a purchase. Such an identifiable device has now become synonymous with the cause and is often referred to as 'keyhole shopping'.

It’s still early days, but in the first few months Homepage for the Homeless has converted over 120,000 purchases into cost-free donations. That’s one donation for every single homeless person in Australia. And we're growing every month.

The site costs nothing to run, so donations are expected to grow, without taking a backwards step through advertising or paying staff. The donations are also expected to be exponential, because once a shopper has set it as their homepage they no longer need to be reminded of the project, and we can build upon this foundation over time.

The long term goal for the project is to help the homeless on a global scale, by getting more charities on board and to support the homeless in every country, not just ours.