A free iPhone app eliminates the guesswork when buying a gift. "With Gift Share Love, there's no more guessing what mom might like. She simply clips links to her favorite things, her "Faves List" such as clothing, beauty products, or decor, and then invites her family to become her "buddies" in the app and see all of her "faves" in real-time," says Marcela Smith, founder of Gift Share Love, who created the app to solve the complexities of gift giving.
Other gift registries focus on things people want. Gift Share Love is simply about gifting and sharing what you love. You save time and money buying someone a gift because you're buying them what you know they love and will actually use. Friends and family click on the links and are brought straight to the merchant's web page featuring the item, where they may place an order directly with that retailer. Men find the app especially helpful by showing their phone to a sales clerk at a store, with the images, size and color preferences displayed on the screen. They get to choose which of their wives' favorite items to purchase, still allowing for the element of surprise.
Users can add items to their faves lists by using the built-in barcode scanner, or clipping a link to products from anywhere on the web from their iPhone or computer using the "clip widget". Their friends and family can see images of the products, and notes they have added such as size, color, or what they like about the item. Items can be marked as "purchased", which helps other "buddies" know when an item is already owned by the recipient.
Users can create as many lists as they like and can save anything with a URL, such as favorite restaurants, yoga studios or even recipes. The profile section in the app includes a spot for shipping address, birthday and food allergies.
"Privacy is important to me, as it is to many women," says Smith, "so you aren't searchable in any way. Only those you choose can see your lists. And if you want to share with a larger group of friends, you can post a product or an entire list on Facebook or Twitter, or email it.
"I was tired of spending countless hours trying to find gifts that people would like, and frustrated when receiving yet another lavender-scented candle to which I am allergic. Women like clipping their favorite things and love knowing exactly what to buy their friends and family."
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