Gifting Made Easy With Facebook

Too busy to buy that special someone a Valentine’s Day gift? Now you can send him or her a digital kiss via Facebook’s new “gift shop” feature—and make a charitable donation while you’re at it.

The gift shop, launched last week, allows members to send their friends an icon of anything from a box of cyber chocolates to a roll of toilet paper.

The shop is the brainchild of recent Harvard alums and current Facebook employees, Jared S. Morgenstern ’03 and William P. Chen ’06, according to Facebook spokeswoman Brandee D. Barker.

In February, every member’s first gift is free and each subsequent present costs a dollar. Net proceeds will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization that raises funds for breast cancer research.

Breast cancer awareness groups are the most prevalent cause-related group on Facebook. According to Barker, over 1.4 million users are affiliated with some breast cancer cause.

“When we were choosing a charity, we turned to our users,” said Barker. “I think that the number of gifts given really speaks for itself.”

The Komen foundation also sees Facebook as a powerful means through which to advertise the importance of early breast cancer detection.

“Facebook is a really exciting social vehicle for young people and we are trying to reach that audience,” said Komen spokeswoman Jean A. Maza.

Barker declined to disclose how much revenue the shop has raised so far, but said that over five million gifts have been exchanged since it was launched on Feb. 8.

One of these gifts was received by Aliza H. Aufrichtig ’08, whose father sent her an icon of a heart drawn on an Etch-a-Sketch.

“I cracked up when I saw it,” said Aufrichtig, who is also a Crimson editor. “I couldn’t believe that my dad figured out the feature before I did.”

Barker said that Facebook has yet to decide whether or not to continue the gift shop beyond the month of February or what to do with the proceeds if the gift shop remains open.

The digital icons were designed by Susan Kare, the graphic designing company that created the original Macintosh Computer icon set in the 1980s.

“We chose one of the best iconic designers out there for the virtual gifts because we imagine that the gifts are something that could be collectible,” Barker said.

Barker also said that, starting today, new Valentine’s Day-themed gifts will be available for a limited time.

—Staff writer Nan Ni can be reached at nni@fas.harvard.edu