4 ms·

You always have to pay to send someone money. And a giftcard for a store or restaurant also requires your friend to go there.

by pg 16y ago

Smirnoff 16y ago
I believe paypal doesn't charge you anything when you send your money to your friend on a non-business issue.
- pg 16y ago
  That's only true if you pay them out of your Paypal account or linked bank account. If you want to pay with a credit card, you have to pay a fee. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-receiving-fees-outside https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-receiving...
  - Smirnoff 16y ago
    Yes, you are right. It just happened that my bank account is integrated with paypal, so it was always free for me.
- callmeed 16y ago
  Not any more. "Our fees are now the same for all accounts - Personal, Premier, and Business." https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-fees-outside https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-fees-outs...
  - wallabe 16y ago
    From your own link: Free when the money comes from PayPal balance or bank account. 2.9% + $0.30 USD when the money comes from a debit or credit card or PayPal Credit (the sender decides who pays this fee).
mttwrnr 16y ago
I had only heard of Treatful in this space. They said a common use case they didn't expect was buying a gift card for someone on the other side of the country. A lot of times people wanted to get a friend a gift for a local joint in NYC but obviously couldn't pick it up. Makes sense.
pekinb 16y ago
Me: "Hey dude, there's this great new Mexican place on your block. Here's $30. Enjoy." = free Me: "Hey dude, check out this website that's going to tell you about this great new Mexican place on your block. Here's $30. Enjoy." = not free
- wallabe 16y ago
  Seems like you're arguing against gift cards in general. $100b worth of gift card spending suggests other people feel differently. Maybe you're not the target market? http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1005802 http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1005802
  - pekinb 16y ago
    $X is worth $X in gift cards. I'm fine with that. I hate the idea of paying this company when they don't add any value.
    - klochner 16y ago
      It really depends on whether the cost is worth avoiding the effort to get the gift card and send it to your friend. I don't see a lot of value add (as a giftcard replacement) for vendors who are already selling gift cards online.
    - old-gregg 16y ago
      "Don't add any value"? I thought the idea/value was to give people the option of sending gift cards for any business. That Mexican restaurant you keep referring in your examples may not even have a giftcard program.
      - pekinb 16y ago
        It wasn't a gift card in my examples. It was cash. Or an American Express giftcard. Just like you'd be getting with GiftRocket, except GiftRocket wants a cut.

You always have to pay to send someone money. And a giftcard for a store or restaurant also requires your friend to go there.

by pg 16y ago

You always have to pay to send someone money. And a giftcard for a store or restaurant also requires your friend to go there.

Smirnoff 16y ago

I believe paypal doesn't charge you anything when you send your money to your friend on a non-business issue.

pg 16y ago
That's only true if you pay them out of your Paypal account or linked bank account. If you want to pay with a credit card, you have to pay a fee. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-receiving-fees-outside https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-receiving...
- Smirnoff 16y ago
  Yes, you are right. It just happened that my bank account is integrated with paypal, so it was always free for me.
callmeed 16y ago
Not any more. "Our fees are now the same for all accounts - Personal, Premier, and Business." https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-fees-outside https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-fees-outs...
- wallabe 16y ago
  From your own link: Free when the money comes from PayPal balance or bank account. 2.9% + $0.30 USD when the money comes from a debit or credit card or PayPal Credit (the sender decides who pays this fee).

mttwrnr 16y ago

I had only heard of Treatful in this space. They said a common use case they didn't expect was buying a gift card for someone on the other side of the country. A lot of times people wanted to get a friend a gift for a local joint in NYC but obviously couldn't pick it up. Makes sense.

pekinb 16y ago

Me: "Hey dude, there's this great new Mexican place on your block. Here's $30. Enjoy." = free Me: "Hey dude, check out this website that's going to tell you about this great new Mexican place on your block. Here's $30. Enjoy." = not free

wallabe 16y ago
Seems like you're arguing against gift cards in general. $100b worth of gift card spending suggests other people feel differently. Maybe you're not the target market? http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1005802 http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1005802
- pekinb 16y ago
  $X is worth $X in gift cards. I'm fine with that. I hate the idea of paying this company when they don't add any value.
  - klochner 16y ago
    It really depends on whether the cost is worth avoiding the effort to get the gift card and send it to your friend. I don't see a lot of value add (as a giftcard replacement) for vendors who are already selling gift cards online.
  - old-gregg 16y ago
    "Don't add any value"? I thought the idea/value was to give people the option of sending gift cards for any business. That Mexican restaurant you keep referring in your examples may not even have a giftcard program.
    - pekinb 16y ago
      It wasn't a gift card in my examples. It was cash. Or an American Express giftcard. Just like you'd be getting with GiftRocket, except GiftRocket wants a cut.