WHY WE LOVE THE INTERNET

Now you can return gifts before you get them.

(Thanks to Loudmouth)

Comments

[Tash, startin on the nog]

Might as well do the whole thing in the cyberworld... Then you don't have to wrap or ship anything. Sheesh

No cybernog for me.

[queensbee]

now let them deal with the regifters!

[Loudmouth]

Worthy of a Nobel Prize.

[nursecindy]

This is a terrible idea. I've received some stinky gifts in the past but I always appreciate the fact the gifter thought about me enough to give me something they think I will like. I've never regifted either. Pretty soon we're all just going to be exchanging money.

[Loudmouth]

My wife got some kind of Aztec chocolate stirrer in an Amazon box from a relative. She could not figure out whether to play a tune with it or ward off evil spirits. Wouldn't that have been better to never have left it's country of origin (which was probably China anyway). It's sitting with my gift waiting for oblivion instead.

[Steve]

This is wonderful.
In over 40 years together, my wife just got me the first gift from her that I can use: a gift card. As soon as her back was turned, I gave it to one of our kids who needs it more than I do. Fantastic.
My mother-in-law gets me the same gift every Christmas. A can of caramel popcorn when I can't eat sugar. Habit or evil intent? Who knows. As with Forrest Gump, it could be both.
I'm going to be sexist. The women in my life spend a lot of time deciding what their men should want rather than what they do want.
We men buy the first item that crosses our field of vision that fits the budget.

[Richard the Weasel-Hearted]

Perhaps they could upset tradition a bit less by stressing their Wish List feature instead? The giftee can create one and make it public if they choose. The gifter can consult it, if not to actually select a gift, at least to get a better idea of tastes and interests.

Also, even if you know someone's taste in books, music, videos, etc well, there's a good chance you'll get them one they already have...

[Meanie the Blue]

Wait ... there are people who do not use Dave's annual, infallible Gift Guide?

[pogo]

None of my Aunt Mildreds are computer literate. It won't work. I still get gaudy knit shirts that old golfers might wear after a sale at Penneys. (and I don't play golf.)

[nursecindy]

I agree about the wish list. It's a great idea.

[Annie Where-but-here]

Scenario - I post my Amazonian wish list, but Meanie ignores it, choosing instead to send me the same thing he sends every year - vintage Montpelierian fruitcake. Merry Kiss-m'ass, right? Amazon heads him off at the pass and just issues me a cash credit to my account, which I use to gift Siouxie some much-needed batteries.

If we pay $1 extra, will they automatically generate heart-felt thank-you notes?

[Braniff]

Maybe the system should have an option that if you don't like what you're getting, you can have it diverted to someone else. So you don't have to deal with returns, and you have one less gift to buy.

[Clankazoid]

But how do you return Aunt Mildred ?

[Not My Usual Alias]

I like the idea, but getting Aunt Mildred to participate in the knowledge that her intentions will be thwarted is the rub.

This year, I donated 2 units of platelets on Christmas Eve. They would have have been given out by now. I don't know where they went, but the gift made someone's day.

[Annie Where-but-here]

NMUA - I'm sure your gift touched someone's heart.

[KrisL]

Getting a gift you don't want (that's usable) might be a good time to donate stuff to Good Will or Salvation Army. My only concern with that is being afraid that the person who gave it to me will notice I'm not using it.

[O the U(manity)]

"Budget" ... whuzzat, Steve?

n'c' ... I'll exchange money with y'all ... send me four twenty-dollar bills and I'll send you a five ... (that's correct, innit? 4 x 5 = 20 ... )

Yes, R, tWH ... many folks (including Alibris and Amazon) seem to think they know my preferences in books, music and films ... and they keep suggesting items by the same writer/composer/performer/actor, all of which I already have in my possession ... the "knowledge" of "preferences" is not necessarily a usable or valid guide to merchandisal selectivityness ... merely sayin' ...

[KrisL]

This link has a cute Frazz cartoon (on Dec 28) about gifts.

http://news.yahoo.com/comics/frazz;_ylt=AuiUSMKdapEBotqzDB2lSR0P_b4F

O the U, Amazon does the same thing to me.

[Meanie the Blue]

What Annie doesn't realize is that it's been the same piece of Montpelierian fruitcake every year, recovered from the wheel chuck shelf in her garage.

Now, while you're shamefully belittling Aunt Mildred's gifts, you may want to consider at least sending her a get-well card.

[Elon]

Emily Post in an idiot. Amazon is awesome, and it knows it. I especially appreciated the Aunt Mildred reference.