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

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

#3
Interesting concept. I tend to give a lot of gifts in the form of gift certificates to friends and loved ones, and they tend to be a little bit different from your run of the mill Old Navy card. I go for "experiential" gifts, like short plane tickets if I can afford it, speaker series tickets, theater tickets, etc.

From a gift giver perspective, I always screen my gift ideas for things I can physically deliver in person. I want to be able to wrap it up and see the surprise on their face when they open it. "You got me a Southwest Airlines gift card?? I can go anywhere??" If the process is completely electronic, it turns me off.

How do you plan to handle this? What are the specific use cases?

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

#5
post #2

So I pay a company 5% for the privilege of sending my friend blocks away so I can put money in his paypal account?

You always have to pay to send someone money. And a giftcard for a store or restaurant also requires your friend to go there.

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

#6
post #5
post #2

So I pay a company 5% for the privilege of sending my friend blocks away so I can put money in his paypal account?

You always have to pay to send someone money. And a giftcard for a store or restaurant also requires your friend to go there.

I believe paypal doesn't charge you anything when you send your money to your friend on a non-business issue.

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

#7
post #2

So I pay a company 5% for the privilege of sending my friend blocks away so I can put money in his paypal account?

Gift cards have lots of costs...some hidden (expired cards, lost cards), some more explicit (shipping costs, service fees)

These dont expire. I think it's pretty cool.

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

#8
post #2

So I pay a company 5% for the privilege of sending my friend blocks away so I can put money in his paypal account?

It's not any more ridiculous than facebook virtual gifts that cost money:

"So I can pay facebook $1 to send my friend a virtual beer that he can't drink?"

Both are arguably ridiculous to any (hyper)rational person, but people are not rational.

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

#10
post #8
post #2

So I pay a company 5% for the privilege of sending my friend blocks away so I can put money in his paypal account?

It's not any more ridiculous than facebook virtual gifts that cost money: "So I can pay facebook $1 to send my friend a virtual beer that he can't drink?" Both are arguably ridiculous to any (hyper)rational person, but people are not rational.

It's no more ridiculous than a normal gift card: "Wait, you paid $25 so I can have $25 that can only be spent in one location?"

That's a cost right there...if flexibility had a price I'd bet it'd be >5%.

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