Ever felt like just writing "happy B-day" on your friends' walls was not enough? Well, now you can show them you really love them, the American way: spending money! The social network par excellence has launched a new service that allows users to purchase, give, and ship gifts to friends. This new feature may signal Facebook’s long-rumored ambition to move into e-commerce.
Soon, the option to "Give a Gift" will appear in the birthday reminder section of your newsfeed. You'll also be able to click on a gift tab on your friends' timelines. You can add a card with a message to the gift, and while they recipient will be notified immediately, you can pay on the spot or later on.
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Of course, the user has the option not to receive the gift, but if they should do you the honor of accepting, they can give any address they want and even choose a different size, color, or style. Et voilà! The gift is delivered to the friend’s doorstep in days.
The most logical next step would be for Facebook to launch an out-and-out e-commerce site. If you can buy a gift for a friend, why not purchase a lil’ something for yourself? Considering the demographic data that it holds on its users, Facebook would certainly have a lock on the market. But for now, let’s just be happy that we will be able to send our BFFs something special — whether they're slightly wary of what may come or not. (WWD)
Image via WWD