GiftRocket (YC W11) Lets You Send Gifts That Can Be Redeemed At Any Location • Hacker News Board

Re: GiftRocket (YC W11) Lets You Send Gifts That Can Be Redeemed At Any Location

#41

Post by pg » Mon, Mar 21, 2011, 9:21 PM UTC

pekinb wrote: post #38

old-gregg wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Don't add any value"? I thought the idea/value was to give people the option of sending gift cards for any business. That Mexican restaurant you keep referring in your examples may not even have a giftcard program.

It wasn't a gift card in my examples. It was cash. Or an American Express giftcard. Just like you'd be getting with GiftRocket, except GiftRocket wants a cut.

It wasn't a gift card in my examples.

That's what makes it invalid as an example.

Re: GiftRocket (YC W11) Lets You Send Gifts That Can Be Redeemed At Any Location

#42

Post by pekinb » Mon, Mar 21, 2011, 9:45 PM UTC

pg wrote: post #40

pekinb wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Me: "Hey dude, there's this great new Mexican place on your block. Here's $30. Enjoy." = free Me: "Hey dude, check out this website that's going to tell you about this great new Mexican place on your block. Here's $30. Enjoy." = not free

Sure, but in that situation, as you say http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2351451 you wouldn't give a giftcard either. Giftrocket is only meant as a replacement for giftcards, not as a replacement for cash.

I would give a giftcard if one were available. I'd buy a $30 card for $30. If one weren't available, I sure wouldn't pay a company $1.50 to set up a hoop for my friend to jump through.

Re: GiftRocket (YC W11) Lets You Send Gifts That Can Be Redeemed At Any Location

#43

Post by pg » Mon, Mar 21, 2011, 9:50 PM UTC

pekinb wrote: post #42

pg wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but in that situation, as you say http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2351451 you wouldn't give a giftcard either. Giftrocket is only meant as a replacement for giftcards, not as a replacement for cash.

I would give a giftcard if one were available. I'd buy a $30 card for $30. If one weren't available, I sure wouldn't pay a company $1.50 to set up a hoop for my friend to jump through.

You already said (http://news.ycombinator.com/edit?id=2351451) you'd give cash in that case. It seems clear to me that you're just trying to invent reasons to attack Giftrocket.

Re: GiftRocket (YC W11) Lets You Send Gifts That Can Be Redeemed At Any Location

#44

Post by pekinb » Mon, Mar 21, 2011, 10:09 PM UTC

pg wrote: post #43

pekinb wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would give a giftcard if one were available. I'd buy a $30 card for $30. If one weren't available, I sure wouldn't pay a company $1.50 to set up a hoop for my friend to jump through.

You already said ( http://news.ycombinator.com/edit?id=2351451 ) you'd give cash in that case. It seems clear to me that you're just trying to invent reasons to attack Giftrocket.

That's unfair. I have no skin in this game. The example I gave originally addressed the establishment with no gift cards. Then I had to respond to the claim that Giftrocket is trying to replace gift cards, so I said I'd always pick a gift card if one were available, and if not, I'd give cash over paying a third party.

You'd use the service. I wouldn't. I argued why I don't see anyone using it. Don't write me off as an internet misanthrope trying to ruin everyone's fun.

edit: I'll be more constructive. I'd consider using this if it somehow felt like a gift card instead of a deposit to my paypal account.

Re: GiftRocket (YC W11) Lets You Send Gifts That Can Be Redeemed At Any Location

#45

Post by djjose » Mon, Mar 21, 2011, 10:26 PM UTC

I admit it's an interesting idea at first thought. However, usually gift cards are perceived as lame gifts by me and my friends/family. The train of thought usually goes something like "I couldn't think of anything to get you because I don't really care enough about you to pay attention to the things you might actually want or need but I'm obligated to get you something soooo here you go." And in that case I think you're better off just giving an AmEx or Visa Gift/Check card. Among my circle this is usually acceptable for occurrences where you're just lost, like giving a gift card at a baby shower since I know nothing about babies, etc. But, my group could totally be outliers here. I think the tech is cool and could be interesting for pub crawls or the like where on each stop you get a discount. Any unclaimed discounts could be pocketed by the company or the group that setup the crawl. That's very niche but maybe that can scale to something else.