Remember all of those digital gifts on Facebook friends used to send you? You know, the private little messages from your Valentine or the tongue-in-cheek Someecards “Bumper Stickers” featuring characters from an earlier area attached to lewd captions? Sure, they made you laugh, but it was never quite a nice as a tangible gift, was it?
Thankfully, The Gifts Project’s Group Gifting Plug-in is looking to change that with its new group gifting service for online retailers, registries, wish lists, and the like. The new project allows groups of people to connect via social networks and pitch in for gifts together for Aunt Susie’s all but forgotten birthday with the ability to do a Group Payment checkout feature. This means you can even just do the online shopping while your technologically un-saavy Grandma foots the bill. Thank you, Grammy!
A product of Appchee Applications Ltd., the Group Gifting Plug-in is a genius way to get more revenue for businesses’ higher-priced items. A $150 bouquet for mom and dad’s wedding anniversary? No problem. A $200 limo and champagne ride for your BFF’s 21st birthday of debauchery from 10 different friends? That’s $20 a piece!
We honestly fear this could actually benefit both people and businesses. Let’s jut hope this turn wedding gift registry into cheapskate heaven. “Yes, I really do want the option to choose one of five different Cuisinart blenders…” On second thought, maybe fewer gifts isn’t a bad compromise. The plug-in allows your thoughtful friends to organize gift giving individually. The organizer can select the person to gift, the occasion, the actual gift, and choose how many friends preferred to pitch in.
Those who wish to participate can donate anonymously (although the gift organizer will know) with their pay pal and credit/debit cards. In addition, she can track the performance of the gifting process, cancel the gift, change the gift, and even invite more people to contribute. Again, all anonymous to everyone but the organizer. Once the gift’s price is fulfilled, she can buy the fits and ship it to the lucky friend’s doorstep with a personalized greeting from everyone to boot. For an explanation on how the tool work on eBay, check out the video below:
Overall, we think The Gifts Project Plug-in is an awesomely ingenuitive idea. For groups of friends in high school and college or simply those who are tightening their belts in this economy, this could be a gold mine for birthdays and other events where budget caps are usually in mind. God knows how many big ticket items your parents couldn’t get for you in December. Now magine if your entire family pitched in a couple bucks. I think seen an iPad 2 birthday coming my way this June.
Can’t get enough of Facebook? Check out the Facebook cigarettes, Facebook Porsche and some super awesome nerdy Facebook avatars.
