An Innovative Gifting Solution using Facebook for a Magento based Online Gifting Store

Neev built a social-media-enabled gifting platform for a leading online gifting store in India. The solution called the GiftBig Friends Club enables users to log in using their Facebook credentials and choose gifts for their Facebook friends. The recipients are then alerted about the gift and redemption options. On redemption, an update is posted on the Facebook profiles of both the recipient and the user. The platform also reminds users of gifting occasions based on extracted Facebook data. This not only increases revenues and customer base for companies listed on the clients site but also serves as an effective marketing tool for these companies. The client is able to provide a way in which companies and brands can leverage the social media presence of users.

The Client
Established in November 2011 and conceptualized by QwikCliver Solutions, GiftBig is Indias first fully integrated gift card mega mall. It offers gift cards, gift vouchers and e-gifts. GiftBig is based in Bangalore and aims to be the online destination for all prepaid gifting options in the country. The portal sells gift vouchers of over 75 brands including the likes of Titan, Puma, Nike, Allen Solly, Flipkart, Westside among others. It makes gifting effortless with search based on recipients gender, retail offerings, etc.

Business Need
The client required Neev to launch a social-media-enabled gifting platform. The platform had to allow users to gift their Facebook friends. The solution also had to suggest gifting options to the users and remind them of occasions when they can gift their friends. Neevs solution was required to offer discounts and other freebies specifically to users who logged in with their Facebook credentials.

Neev Solution
The solution consisted of integrating a Facebook module with Magento. The platform created through the integration was named GiftBig Friends Club. Through the integration with Facebook API, data is fetched and stored in the clients database after seeking permission from Facebook to extract such data. This consists of data from users Facebook account like friends list, personal details, friends birthdays, anniversary dates, etc. which is used to suggest gifting occasions and send the users reminders on such occasions. The platform also extracts the Facebook IDs of the users friends so that it could automatically identify any user based on their Facebook IDs and recognize the Facebook relationship between any two users. MVC design pattern and MySQL DB was used. Since the store was already setup on Magento Community Edition, it was decided to develop the platform on the same. The platform was integrated with the existing order processing system of Magento. The solution requires recipients to log in through their Facebook credentials to claim their gifts. The platform has been programmed to identify users who log in with their Facebook credentials and offer specific discounts only to those users. The Magento store is automated Neev Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd. www.neevtech.com sales@neevtech.com

to post on the users and recipients Facebook profiles with a preset image of the gifted brand and a custom message. A separate section of users called GiftBig Club has been created for those who log in with their Facebook credentials. How the platform works? Users need to log in with their Facebook credentials. Once logged in, the solution extracts personal details and details of those in the users friends list from Facebook. The platform then suggests gifts that the users can give to their Facebook friends based on the available data like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Once the user selects a gift, the recipient is alerted through Facebook about the gift and how it can be redeemed. The recipient is required to sign up to receive the gift. Upon redemption, a Facebook update is posted on the profiles of both the user and the recipient. The user is also reminded, based on available Facebook data, on occasions when he/she can gift friends.

Top Features
Facebook integration with Magento. Enables users to gift his/her Facebook friends. Social mapping based on Facebook Ids. Integration with existing order processing system of Magento. Gifting reminders sent based on occasions. Shows specific discounts and offers available only to users logged in using Facebook credentials. An exclusive GiftBig Club for users who log in using their Facebook credentials. Automatically posting on recipients and users Facebook profiles with preset image and message. Suggestion of suitable gifts to users.

Technology Footprint
PHP framework Magento Community Edition 1.6 Facebook API

Top Challenges
Keeping the Facebook data of GiftBig users up-to-date. Facebook API integration with GiftBig Magento store. Automatically posting updates on Facebook. Storing Facebook user data in GiftBigs database and aligning the gifting solution with this database.

Press Links
http://www.nextbigwhat.com/giftbig-online-gift-cards-297/ http://www.watblog.com/2012/11/08/now-you-can-giftbig-on-facebook/

Neev Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

www.neevtech.com

sales@neevtech.com

http://lighthouseinsights.in/giftbig-the-social-way-of-gifting-over-facebook.html http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/36005_GiftBig.com-rides-the-social-media-wave-withFacebook-based-gift-vouchers

URL
http://friends.giftbig.com/friends/customer/account/login/

Neev Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

www.neevtech.com

sales@neevtech.com

Neev Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

www.neevtech.com

sales@neevtech.com

Neev Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

www.neevtech.com

sales@neevtech.com