WHY HELPING CONSUMERS GIVE IS GOOD.
From birthdays to bar mitzvahs, anniversaries to “just because,” we are giving to friends and loved ones all year long. But no time are we inspired to gift more than the holiday season. While we want to give lavishly, we are also strapped for time and overwhelmed with options. In our fast moving, mobile society, we are more likely to embrace brands that make gift giving easier.
For some, the holiday season can account for as much as twenty to forty percent of annual sales.  So why not leverage technology to help create experiences where your audiences can tailor and streamline their gift giving?
Amazon has tapped into the social gifting trend with Amazon Friends & Family Gifting. Launched last year, Amazon Friends & Family Gifting lets you link your Facebook profile to Amazon to keep track of everyone you buy gifts for. ¬†Facebook profile integration also provides personalized gift suggestions based on your friend’s ‚Äòlikes’. These tools provide a hassle-free way to choose, buy and send gifts.
Social gifting has also launched new brands that provide even more ways to send gift cards, greeting cards and physical gifts instantly. Social gifting platforms like Boomerang and Wrapp, allow you to digitally send gift cards directly to the recipient’s smartphone or email. Both sites offer free gifts, paid gifts and special promotions for users. Like Amazon, most social gifting websites and apps connect to the user’s Facebook account and calendar to keep track of birthdays so you don’t have to.
Companies like Sevenly do double duty by offering limited edition apparel, art and accessories where $7 of each item sold goes directly to Sevenly’s charity of the week. Gifting from a site like Sevenly not only gives you unique gifting options, but also raises funds and awareness by connecting people to charities in a simple way to make a difference.
Leveraging social and simple gifting is a win-win for brands and consumers. Charity collaborations may also put some brands a step ahead during this giving season. For brands, this means tapping into people’s natural urge to give and providing them with a unique item, service or perk. This means taking advantage of brands that offer easy ways to make your shopping simple and your gifting glorious.
Examples of this Trend
Felt: A charming way to send handwritten card right from your iPad. With Felt, users choose a design, craft a message and add mailing information. Felt then prints your handwritten message, seals it up, adds a stamp and puts it into the mail. All Felt cards cost $3.99.
Sick-Note: London-based company Sick-Note lets consumers send comfort packages of food, beauty care and magazines to friends, family and colleagues. Consumers can order one of the eight customizable themed bags or they can build their own.
