The Evolution of E-gifting
Back in the day, sending a gift to a faraway friend was a lot of work -- selecting, purchasing, packaging, mailing. And hoping, as the gift left your hands and went on its way, that you chose wisely.
But online shopping has revolutionized the way people buy for one another. With the advent of digital gifts and cyber deliveries, there are now easier ways to give and receive.
E-gift Cards
Perhaps the biggest change in gift-giving is the rise of the virtual gift, in the form of e-gift cards. They're available online for stores ranging from Wal-Mart to Starbucks.
Shoppers can send these digital equivalents of gift cards via the Internet. No physical gift card ever changes hands; all that's needed is the gift card code. Transactions are conducted online, and the online version of the card is delivered via email.
If traditional gift cards take the guesswork out of picking a present, e-gift cards take the work out of gift-giving almost entirely.
Drop a Hint
While cyber gift cards undoubtedly make gift-giving easier on the sender, online shopping has also altered the way recipients approach gift exchanges.
For example, Tiffany & Co. lures hopeful gift recipients with an online feature called "Drop A Hint." As shoppers browse the store's online inventory, they'll see a Tiffany blue heart beside each item, followed by a link to drop a hint.
Click on the feature to alert someone by email to the bauble you have your eye on. A link to the specific product you're admiring will be included in the email, so there's little possibility of a gift-giver missing the mark.
And if the product you want isn't sold at Tiffany & Co.? There are a number of websites that generate wish lists in a similar fashion. For instance, Wishlistr and Giftster allow users to create a list of desired objects and share it with family and friends.
E-gifting
The biggest departure from traditional gift-giving may be Macy's e-gifting service. This process takes sending gifts one step further -- the gift recipient has a direct say in what he or she receives.
As with typical online gifting, shoppers select products to send as gifts. The difference is that notice of the chosen gift (or gifts) is sent to the recipient via email before shipping. He or she can make adjustments to the product, such as changing its size or color, and even input a shipping address if the sender didn't know it.
Macy's is essentially eliminating much of the usual speculation involved in picking the perfect present.
How E-gifts Pay Off
While traditionalists may cringe, the evolution of online gift-giving can make shopping easier and more efficient for you:
1. It saves money. Some digital gifts, like online gift cards, carry no shipping costs. Plus, if the retailer allows a personal message with the email, you might choose to forgo purchasing a traditional greeting card. If you make a habit of choosing cyber deliveries, you can see your savings stack up.
2. It saves time. Time is money, it's said, and the most time- and labor-intensive part of buying a gift is often figuring out what to buy. Online hints and tips eliminate this part of the process.
3. It saves hassle. We've all bought or received a gift that didn't fit or just wasn't quite right, and dealing with retailer return and exchange policies can be frustrating. Online gift-giving options can ensure you don't pick the wrong color blouse or receive the wrong size shoes.
