Gift Service Exchanges Online Gifts

Santa's little helper writes "According to this story on New Scientist, it will soon be possible to exchange unwanted Christmas gifts before they are even shipped." I just find this amusing, my favorite part is the line 'instead of unwrapping presents, we might take turns logging on to a computer'. Click here for merry christmas.

Comments

Kinda crass

[billmaly]

This, while being a good idea, reduces the whole "spirit of Christmas" down to a gift exchange only. It forces people to miss the point of exchanging gifts, getting together with family, big greasy meal, the whole bit.

Still, from a purely economic standpoint, I'd use it. Imagine, Uncle buys you a $20 widgit, yet, if you will put in $10 of your own money, you upgrade to a $30 widgit which only costs you $10, not $30. In many ways, this is more of an online gift certificate.

Returning Christmas gifts? Uhhh...

[Bowie J. Poag]

Happy Birthday, Jesus! Here's a book on C/C++ with an emphasis on AI design!

Somehow, I just don't get it. What is it with people who want to exchange or return gifts? I grew up in a house where you appreciated such things. My first instinct upon getting a present that didn't quite fit or wasn't exactly to my tastes was that I could still find a use for it, not "Hmmmm.. I wonder I can pawn this off and get an XBox!!"

Gifts are gifts. And if youre buying a gift just to throw money at someone in lieu of actually giving a shit about them, you suck in my book. Similarly, if you don't even bother to consider the thought and effort someone else put in to giving you something they felt you'd enjoy, you also suck. Hard.

Re:Returning Christmas gifts? Uhhh...

[geekoid]

It seems to me you missed out on a grat opportunity, and short changed yourself.

The China collection is something you could gather over time. It gave your parents something to get you if they couldn't think of anything else.
Your parents remembered that you wanted it, and got you something for it. Thats is a GREAT gift and its what gift giving should be about.

Of course this is entirely formed from one post, and there could have been(and probably were)details I don't know, but I've got to call them like I see them.

Interesting idea

[the_rev_matt]

I'd use this only as a last resort. Regardless of the "it's the thought that counts", I don't have room in my life (or apartment) for anything that I don't actually have a use for. As Tom Lehrer said

Relations, sparing no expense'll
Send some useless old utensil,
Or a matching pen and pencil.
"Just the thing I need! How nice!"

I don't get into the whole commercialism anyway, but if someone feels they MUST give me something, go to my amazon wish list and pick out something I actually want. Or better yet, donate to some worthy charity in my name.

This is "more personal"?

[eris_crow]

"The idea is to let someone give a more personal gift," says RichFX CEO Tal Kerret.

So shopping online, sending someone an email, having that person "exchange" the gift through a web site, and eventually receive it in the mail is somehow more personal than carefully selecting an appropriate gift, getting together for a holiday meal, sitting around talking and laughing, giving the gift from your own hand, and watching the (hopefully) happy expression on the recipients face as the gift is opened.

Did I wake up in the wrong Universe today?

Yeah right

[Asic Eng]

If all we wanted from a gift was flexibility, we would just give each other money, right?

Something like this would rate even lower then a gift certificate, it basically amounts to "I can't be bothered to spend any time thinking about you and what you might want, so instead I give you money - in a nice frame."

The only difference this system will make, is that now you take away the nice frame. If you give this to anyone you like, you shouldn't be surprised of the consequences. :)

Providing a service nobody wants - via the internet - wooohoo - sounds like a future failed business to me.

[OT] LED Christmas Lights! Yow! =)

[ackthpt]

Ok, it's off-topic, and a bit late, but it is in the Christmas department: I found these at the local grocery store on clearance for $2 a set! LED Christmas lights, how cool is that?

I like how they're labeled "Rated For 200,000 Hours (more than 20 years of continuous use)" Seems like just the think to jazz up the workstation anytime of the year at an el-cheapo price tag.

Just had to share. Ok, you can now mod me to off-topic hell.