A billion-dollar business? Maybe not. Despite lofty projections for Facebook Gifts from analysts, reporters and myself, a new report picks apart public statements from the company to suggest it sold a maximum of 667,000 gifts in Q4 2012, and maybe a lot less. Sure, it’s early days, but it may take Facebook a while to build Gifts into a game changer. → Read More
“Uh Facebook Gift Card?”, the Jamba Juice cashier said with a twang. “I don’t even know what that is.” But that didn’t stop her from ringing up my purchase with Facebook’s big move into brick-and-mortar commerce. Facebook announced the card last month, and today I was one of the first to try it out. Here’s how it felt to swipe Facebook’s hopeful disruptor of the $100 billion US gift card market. → Read More
Facebook laid the groundwork for several new money-makers in Q3 2012. Tomorrow’s earnings report will hopefully show if search typeahead ads, app ads, Gifts and Facebook Exchange are actually bringing home the bacon. If they’ve done well and are growing, Facebook’s future might look brighter to Wall Street. If not, Facebook will need new revenue building blocks to help it climb back to its $38… → Read More
Touting its ability to notify someone immediately that you bought them a present, Facebook is showing large banners atop the web and mobile news feed telling people to buy Gifts. Facebook hopes tardy shoppers will purchase through its e-commerce arm because presents bought elsewhere wouldn’t arrive before Christmas. Facebook’s won’t either, but at least friends would know they have a gift on the… → Read More
Facebook and Apple deepened their alliance today, as Facebook Gifts is starting to sell iTunes digital gift certificates. Upon purchase, Facebook users can suggest what music, video, or apps their friends should spend their $10, $15, $25, or $50 credit on. By adding one of the world’s most popular presents to its Gifts store, Facebook Gifts could boost sales and split the 30% margins with… → Read More
Tonight at the Facebook Gifts event at giant toy store FAO Schwarz in New York, the company announced that Facebook Gifts is available to tens of millions of users starting today. Many new partners are on board, as well: babyGap, Fab, Brookstone, Dean & Deluca, L’Occitane, Lindt, ProFlowers, Random House, Inc. and NARS Cosmetics, as well as subscription services Hulu Plus, Pandora and Rdio. → Read More
It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but some startup founders already have their sights set on the holidays. Case in point, the launch of Giftivo, a new Facebook-enabled gift recommendations engine. → Read More
Facebook Gifts could make a lot of money on mobile by getting you to buy presents for friends, but birthdays were buried in Events and celebrations weren’t shown on mobile. So today Facebook for iOS and Android began displaying birthdays and celebrations atop the mobile news feed for users in the Gifts Beta, Facebook has confirmed.
You’ll be able to click through these alerts to buy Gifts. → Read More
Facebook today launches Facebook Gifts to make ecommerce more convenient. It turns user data into suggestions for gifts to buy right from where you spend your time, and without a friend’s address. Facebook earns a percentage of sales when you use it to buy friends physical products or digital gift cards for their birthday, wedding, or other special occasions.
Starbucks, Uber cabs, Warby… → Read More
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