Mashable Reports That GiftRocket Allows Giftcards To Be Accepted Anywhere
Posted By: Kerry Phouthavong
GiftRocket is providing consumers with a faster and newer way to send gift cards to friends and family. A recent article on mashable.com, written by Sarah Kessler, helps explain what makes this new startup to be more convenient than the ordinary tangible gift card that we’ve all been accustomed to.
The article states that GiftRocket’s version of the gift card is place-specific, but not in the traditional sense. It allows gift givers to send gift cards to anyone via email for any thing — such as drinks, skydiving or a spa day — at any venue, regardless of whether the retailer sells its own gift cards.
Here’s how it works: the giver picks a place in a specific region, as sourced from Yelp’s business listings, via the GiftRocket website. Let’s use Peet’s Coffee in Marina Del Rey as an example. The gift giver then builds the GiftRocket by filling out a few key details like amount ($20), recipient name (Scott) and email, and a personal message. Finally, the buyer pays for the gift with his credit card.
Our lucky recipient, Scott, is notified via email of his new gift. The next time he visits Peet’s, he can press “redeem” on his smartphone (no app required) to cash in his gift card. After verifying Scott’s exact whereabouts, GiftRocket will approve the request and automatically deposit $20 in Scott’s PayPal account. Scott’s next lattes are on the house, theoretically.
The GiftRocket idea, which slightly overlaps with the likes of Gifi from Venmo, was big enough to win Graham over. Now, the founders have a chance to demonstrate that their fun gift card alternative can grow into a viable business.
Social Media Can Change The World Through Common Ground
By: Valerie Jennings
I would like to share the words of JR Johnson with you all from his blog post on Mashable. I’m compassionate about the views he’s expressed, and I hope you find them beneficial as well.
Social Media Can Change The World Through Common Ground
November 15th, 2009 | by JR Johnson
J.R. Johnson is founder and CEO of Lunch.com, a user generated content platform focused on finding common ground, and host of the Lunch for Good event series.
There’s been a rising interest in the concept of “social media for social good.” In large part, that discussion has been focused on cause-related social good. I have a different take, related more to the greater good of humanity as a whole. To my view, the Internet, specifically social media, has the potential – and responsibility – to make the world more thoughtful and tolerant by showing people their shared common ground.
Valerie Jennings 
Cassie Stubs
Katie Stumpf
