Like: Gift Search 2.0

Things that you don't actually want or already own are waiting nicely wrapped under the Christmas tree. Every year it's the same old horror with a bow around it. You often rush into town at the last minute to look for the perfect present. Influenced by the obliging advice, in most cases something ends up in the shopping bag. However, this something is usually a cliché-ridden item that all women, men, fathers, mothers, daughters-in-law or sons-in-law are sure to like. The fact is, however, that humanity is "unfortunately" not quite so simple-minded. The fundamental problem with looking for gifts is hardly due to a lack of choice, but rather the fact that people are not aware of what they could actually give. Thanks to online stores, it's easy to escape the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. The fact that these stores also make personal recommendations is also nothing new. However, when looking for gifts, it is primarily about the recipients and not A335675 about the buyer. Some providers have taken this simple fact to heart and offer personalized recommendations for your Facebook friends. This integrated function is particularly practical for stores that offer products from many different categories, such as Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/gifts) or Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/facebook). It would probably not be too bold to even call Amazon the inventor of personal recommendations in e-commerce. No wonder, they were also the pioneers of integrated networking with Facebook Connect.

Of course, you can also browse through your friends' FB profiles and Twitter timelines yourself. According to a study (http://mashable.com/2011/11/01/consumers-holiday-spending/), 61% of respondents actually search their family's online profiles to find suitable gift ideas. The professional tools rely on likes and mentions. Of course, they cannot read between the lines, understand irony or see the connection between status updates. However, the advantage of the integrated tools is, for example, that Amazon shows you when friends have already created their own wish lists or reminds you of upcoming birthdays. Naturally including a suitable gift suggestion. With Etsy, not only are the interests and likes of friends included in the search, but all search terms used on the website are logged and analyzed. This enables the store to make semantic suggestions. Likewise, corresponding areas of interest of friends that are considered extremely suitable can be searched in greater depth.

Reddit's "Secret Santa" project (http://redditgifts.com/exchanges/secret-santa-2011/) is also based on all the information that can be found about a person on the internet. Almost 40,000 people from 113 countries around the world have registered for international Secret Santa. You are randomly chosen to be the Secret Santa of a person who gives you their name, address and Twitter account. The search for the perfect gift for the unknown person then begins.

You are unlikely to discover things from friends and family that you didn't know about before, but perhaps things that you were no longer aware that they liked so much. Personally, I value Facebook & Twitter as a source of inspiration when looking for gifts. However, it's still not a panacea for a desperate search as long as grandma still prefers to knit woolly socks instead of surfing Facebook and your business partner doesn't reveal any other personal details about themselves apart from playing golf.