Shopping on your iPhone is nothing new, but the free gift-giving iPhone app Giiv is putting a spin on gift giving by sending “texts with benefits”—delivering your presents through SMS. Giiv.com has been operating in beta for awhile, but now you can send gifts directly from their iPhone app.
I was feeling selfish, so I tested Giiv by sending myself a half-price Fandango movie ticket ($5), which I was able to find through Giiv’s gift categories and through their merchant tab. To send the gift (a 99-cent service charge is added to each purchase), select the item and tap “send.” You’ll be given the choice of logging in to an existing account or continuing as a new user. Simply fill in the blanks—the recipient’s cell number, 20-character message, your name and your credit card information, if it isn’t stored already in the system. Your gift will be sent and received instantly.
Given the amount of text spam I’ve been receiving lately, I was a little concerned that Giiv’s message might appear suspicious. While the message does come from an anonymous number, Giiv’s web site is included in the message so users can get more information. To redeem my gift, I have to use the provided code at Fandango’s web site during a purchase. Other gifts have location stipulations or require the giftee to take additional steps to redeem their present, so be sure to read the deal requirements before you buy.
Giiv’s selection of items in the app is small so far and doesn’t even include everything they have available on their desktop site. I think the premise behind Giiv is interesting and is tapping into a market users might not know they wanted, but a 99-cent service fee tacked on to an otherwise free-to-send Amazon gift card could ultimately be a killer.
