Amazon Offers eBook Gifting

[B_Lux]

eRead all about it!

http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/crm/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=228300261&cid=RSSfeed_I...

[icebike]

This is great news, because as we have learned, its not enough to ask for these features from B&N, we first have to get Amazon to offer them and embarrass B&N into following suit.

Now If you can gift a new book, perhaps it will only be a matter of time before you can gift something from your library that you already read.

Lets all sign on to our Amazon account an request this extension to their gifting program.

[token787]

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icebike wrote:

This is great news, because as we have learned, its not enough to ask for these features from B&N, we first have to get Amazon to offer them and embarrass B&N into following suit.

Now If you can gift a new book, perhaps it will only be a matter of time before you can gift something from your library that you already read.

Lets all sign on to our Amazon account an request this extension to their gifting program.

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@icebike, this is a great. Do we send a email to Amazon?

I hope BN picks up this idea, Amazon has a great marketing and public relations team.

[The_Spaz]

I actually work at a B&N and I get asked over and over by grandmother's and parents if there's a way that they can get they're (insert random relative) a nook and then gift them books instead of gift cards. My own mother doesn't like doing the gift card thing because it's too impersonal.

If BN got this, I could think of at least 10 people and myself who would use it off the top of my head. Give me another ten minutes and I could come up with quite a few more.

[icart]

I know it isn't as "simple" as e-book giving...but the gift card is really a better alternative....what if you give someone an e-book they already have???  PLUS the gift card is more versatile...online, store, e-books...it works for me!!!  Personalize it with a beautiful card or a box of Godiva or one of the Little Treasure books...you can make this work.  Don't forget to include the business card of your local B&N...they can always help the recipient by putting the gift card on their B&N account for them!!!

[Jadjuka]

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icart wrote:

I know it isn't as "simple" as e-book giving...but the gift card is really a better alternative....what if you give someone an e-book they already have???  PLUS the gift card is more versatile...online, store, e-books...it works for me!!!  Personalize it with a beautiful card or a box of Godiva or one of the Little Treasure books...you can make this work.  Don't forget to include the business card of your local B&N...they can always help the recipient by putting the gift card on their B&N account for them!!!

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I agree. At first Amazon's plan seems like a good idea however you do bring up a very good point about someone giving an e-book and the receiver already has that ebook. I like the gift card more so I can shop for what I want.

...I should make a request on my list to have my gift cards come with Godiva chocolates. Thx!

[mykoffee]

This is a fantastic idea,  paying attention B&N?

Linda

[Ozman69]

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mykoffee wrote:

This is a fantastic idea,  paying attention B&N?

Linda

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No... they aren't.  This has been requested on these forums for months (by myself included) and of course they get beat to the punch.  I'm sure they will now come out with something along the same lines, but had they listened to us on this (and many other suggestions), they would come off looking a lot better.

[Rich_D]

The recipients of ebooks have the option to exchange the book for a gift card.

Kobo is also offering ebook gifting.  That put's B&N tied for third with Sony.

[icebike]

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icart wrote:

I know it isn't as "simple" as e-book giving...but the gift card is really a better alternative....what if you give someone an e-book they already have???  

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Well that is your opinion, to which you are entitled.  

Sometimes you really want to give someone a specific book.  Maybe because they have asked for it, or need it.  Maybe because that is how you choose to manage your child's reading.  

Maybe you just want to personalize a gift.   Its not the same thing, not even close to the same thing for these situations.

[Ya_Ya]

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icart wrote:

I know it isn't as "simple" as e-book giving...but the gift card is really a better alternative....what if you give someone an e-book they already have???  

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To me, a gift card to anywhere but a restaurant says "go buy your own gift."

I don't buy gift cards as gifts and I don't like to receive them.  I'd far rather buy someone an ebook than a gift card so they can buy the ebook.  Actually, I would buy someone an ebook (as I said in another thread) but I wouldn't buy them a gift card so they could buy an ebook.  I just wouldn't. I'd go an entirely different direction.

Amazon even allows them to opt into a gift card if the giver chose a book they already had or didn't want.  Where's the downside?

[Andromeda208]

I actually called amazon customer service about 2 weeks ago and asked how I could give my father some ebooks on his kindle as a birthday present.  They told me I could do it through customer service.  Maybe I gave them the idea! HaHaHa 

[Tim40744]

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icart wrote:

I know it isn't as "simple" as e-book giving...but the gift card is really a better alternative....what if you give someone an e-book they already have???  PLUS the gift card is more versatile...online, store, e-books...it works for me!!!  Personalize it with a beautiful card or a box of Godiva or one of the Little Treasure books...you can make this work.  Don't forget to include the business card of your local B&N...they can always help the recipient by putting the gift card on their B&N account for them!!!

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Amazon already allows 7 days for refunds on ebook purchases. The recipient could "return" the ebook for a different one.

[Ozman69]

Wondering if Mike V. or someone else from B&N could let us know if this is in our future for the Nook?  Anyone...  Anyone... Bueller... Bueller...

[atlongster]

I think it'd be a good idea to have this option at B&N or alternately to have a giftcard that can only be redeemed for Nookbooks, that way they can pick out what they want.