Corporate stores such as Gap drive the fund-raising bandwagon during the holiday season, but most students said donations don't make a difference.

Stores have been attracting buyers to their products by announcing that a percentage of proceeds will benefit charitable organizations. Though some said donation campaigns are win-win situations, others said they don't buy in to the marketing scheme.

“I think it’s a great thing. It’s the time to give and those places can give a lot,” Robert Kuhn, 21, anthropology major said.

However, painting major Jennifer Garner, 25, said she would not buy a product just because the proceeds are donated, especially during the holiday season.

"If people had a real agenda towards the situation, it should take more than once a year," Garner said.

Alex Thomas, who is the store manager at the Gap on Powell Street said the corporation recently pursued a five-year commitment to a new line of products called, “(PRODUCT) RED.” Half of profits go to The Global Fund that combats AIDS and tuberculosis in Africa. The other half goes to Gap corporation.

"It's not only donations but empowering the people, helping stimulate their economy," he said.

The (PRODUCT) RED shelves are stocked with women's and men's clothing from $28-$350 as well as accessories. He said T-shirts with the word "INSPI(RED)," printed across the chest, are the fastest sellers.

"You can contribute and show what you stand for at the same time," Thomas said. He said American Express, Apple's iPod Nano, a range of Giorgio Armani clothes and accessories, Converse and Motorola are also involved with the same (RED) campaign.

Though corporate donations may travel beyond the holiday season, communicative disorders major Megan Moose said shoppers still have to be weary.

"Sometimes I'm skeptical of whether or not the money really is going where it should, or how much, even. Sometimes they don't even say," Moose said.

The high-end chocolate shop, Richart, at 393 Sutter St., with 14 worldwide locations, sells an assortment of chocolate with print designs made by children called, "The Little Gourmet Collection," for $64.50. Boutique manager, Tiffani Lambro Lambro said some proceeds are given back to elementary school systems, but she said she wasn't sure how much or where to find the information. Neither did the brochure nor the Web site, http://www.richart-chocolates.com.

The brochure said for the past 15 years, children, 2 to 12 years old, enter design contests to be a part of the collection, which Lambro said is one of the most popular assortments this season. The winners receive a box of chocolate to share with the class and $75 to use for art or school supplies.

Gregory Friedman, 20, cinema major, said he did not gravitate toward donated proceeds, whether it is the holiday season or not.

“Maybe, if there was something I really wanted and two different stores had it, I might make the effort to buy something like that,” Friedman said. “Otherwise, it doesn’t really do much for me.”