You may never get somebody something they like again…..or at least make them keep it.
Amazon is working on a solution that could revolutionize digital gift buying. The online retailer has quietly patented a way for people to return gifts before they receive them, and the patent documents even mention poor Aunt Mildred. Amazon’s innovation, not ready for this Christmas season, includes an option to “Convert all gifts from Aunt Mildred,” the patent says. “For example, the user may specify such a rule because the user believes that this potential sender has different tastes than the user.” In other words, the consumer could keep an online list of lousy gift-givers whose choices would be vetted before anything ships.
Amazon’s patent is 12 pages long, with numerous diagrams, including a “Gift Conversion Rules Wizard” that shows how a user could select rules such as, “No clothes with wool.” The document makes for curious reading, reducing the art of gift giving to the dry language of patentry.
E-retail experts are watching Amazon’s moves closely because up to 30 percent of purchases are returned and end up costing retailers millions.
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Returning a gift before you even receive it is tacky and ungreatful. I’m almost disgusted that greedy retailers are willing to offer this service. Why not tell “Aunt Mildred” to just give you cash.