Postal delivery deadlines have well and truly passed, and the window of time for a last-minute gift run has just about shut. Add rising Covid-19 cases to the mix, and a hasty trip to the mall on 24 December feels very much like panic buying.
While browsing for digital presents is something we “often don’t consider” because of “the tradition of having something physically wrapped up,” professor in consumer behaviour from Queensland University of Technology, Gary Mortimer, says the pool of virtual gifting options has dramatically deepened.
“Being able to sit quietly one evening and go through a whole range of virtual gifts and experiences for loved ones certainly mitigates the stress of having to battle busy shopping centres,” he says.
Gifting your virtual product
“I actually give a lot of virtual presents to my friends and family,” says Yulia Saf, blogger behind Miss Tourist, who spends much of her time travelling.
“I do not think it ever feels like a last minute, ‘I-didn’t-have-time-to-buy-you-a-real-present’ present.”
She says it is “really important” to consider what the person likes. Then it’s a matter of searching the web for “virtual gifts by interest”.
Once you’ve found something that works, gifting it digitally is easy.
How to gift an app on your phone
There’s an app store pre-installed on most smartphones, and while most people use the store to download purchases on their own devices, you can also buy an app as a gift for someone else through them. Here’s how.
On an Apple iOS device – like an iPhone or iPad – start by browsing the store for the app you’d like to gift. Once you’ve found what you want, tap the app to arrive at its detail page.
There, you should see a rectangle with an arrow pointing up; that’s the action button.
Tap it, and scroll through the pop-up menu until you see the “Gift App” option, then select it.
From there, follow the directions to send the app as a gift, which will involve entering the contact details and a message for your recipient, setting a delivery date, and choosing a visual theme for your gift presentation.
If you’re an Android user, Google Play doesn’t offer the same gifting service. But don’t worry, there is a workaround.
In the Google Play Store app, tap on the Menu button.
From there, select “Send gift”. Google Play allows you to gift credit for an app, rather than gifting an individual app alone. You’ll be able to enter the amount you would like to gift, and follow onscreen instructions to deliver that credit to your recipient.
How to gift a subscription or experience
From Netflix to Spotify, Audible, and Amazon Prime, many online streaming services and subscriptions can be sent as gifts.
For most, you can find a dedicated gifting page built into a streaming product’s website.
But before you buy, Andrew Zeng, digital marketer and e-commerce expert, urges you to “read the fine print”.
“Many platforms will only allow you to gift a subscription to new users,” he says. The Disney+ one-year gift subscription, for instance, cannot be added to a recipient’s existing subscription.
Other services do “allow gifting additional months to pre-existing users”. Just be sure to double check the terms of the gift before you place your order.
Mortimer also suggests perusing virtual travel experiences.
“As a result of the pandemic, we saw a lot of travel agencies doing virtual tours of places,” he says. “Jordan, Petra, all the places you’d love to get to, but can’t.”
Airbnb offers virtual experiences, from trip planning sessions to tours of famous movie sets; closer to home, Indigenous travel site Welcome to Country also has digital travel sessions on offer.
Zeng’s personal favourite digital present is the gift of an online class.
“A friend of mine gifted an online course subscription recently, around photography and branding, as I continue to grow my business,” he says. “I found it extremely thoughtful and endearing.”
Making it special
You aren’t limited to sending your gift to its recipient in a trite email with a link and activation code. Saf says there are plenty of ways to make giving the gift more fun.
An easy option that will personalise the gift is a video.
“Just record a simple, short video of yourself with a personal message,” Zeng suggests. “As if you were to give the gift in person.”
Saf also says using video can be a helpful way to teach a not-so-tech-savvy recipient how to activate their virtual gift. She recommends using Loom video, which supports recording your screen and face simultaneously.
For the camera-shy, Zeng suggests pairing your virtual gift with an e-card.
Easy to find for free online, some e-card sites offer digital versions of classic printed cards, featuring quirky quotes and designs you’d pick up from the local news agency. Others offer animated video cards. Both are a ribbon on top of your virtual gift which you can upload into an email and shoot over to the recipient instantly.
Finally, beyond the apps, subscriptions, vouchers and e-cards, Zeng recommends gifting custom digital art.
“You could use a marketplace like Etsy, find an artist and have them hand draw a self-portrait, or something of significance,” he says. “It’s all about personalisation when it comes to virtual gifts, that makes it extra special.”
