System, method and computer program product for enabling gifting among users in an online environment

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for an online transferring system where a conveying user may transfer a virtual object, representative of a real object, to a receiving user using an electronic ID of the receiving user and have a real object delivered to a shipping address of the receiving user without knowledge of the shipping address by the conveying user. The system includes an electronic data store having a set of identifying information for a receiving user. The set of identifying information includes an electronic ID and a physical contact address. The system includes a communication system for communication between the conveying user and the receiving user. The communication system provides the electronic ID to the conveying user without providing the physical contact address to the conveying user. The system includes a virtual object, representative of a real-world object, associated with the conveying user. The system includes a physical shipping system, coupled to the communication system, for initiating a delivery of the real-world object to the physical contact address responsive to the conveying user communicating the virtual object to the electronic ID.

1 . A computer-implemented method for selecting and transmitting images to users of a social network, said images being associated with gifts to one or more of the users, wherein the method comprises steps to:
 identify an first image associated with a gift given by a first user to a second user;   cause the first image to display on one or more computing devices operated by one or more respective users;   identify an second image associated with the gift; and   cause, by one or more processing devices, the second image to display on the one or more computing devices before or after initiating delivery of the gift to the second user.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices include a first computing device operated by the first user, a second computing device operated by the second user, and a third computing device operated by a third user. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises steps to:
 cause the first image to display on a second computing device operated by the second user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   cause the second image to display on the second computing device before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises steps to:
 cause the first image to display on a third computing device operated by a third user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   cause the second image to display on the third computing device after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises steps to:
 cause the first image to display on a first computing device operated by the first user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the first image to display on a second computing device operated by the second user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   cause the second image to display on the first computing device and the second computing device after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises steps to:
 cause the first image to display on a first computing device operated by the first user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the first image to display on a second computing device operated by the second user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   cause the second image to display on the first computing device and the second computing device before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises steps to:
 cause the first image to display on a second computing device operated by the second user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the first image to display on a third computing device operated by a third user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the second image to display on the second computing device before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   cause the second image to display on the third computing device after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method  claim 1 , wherein the first image includes an icon, and the second image includes a modified version of the icon. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method  claim 3 , wherein the gift is delivered to an email address of the second user. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first image and the second image are displayed on one or more respective webpages provided by a social network to the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises further steps to:
 cause the first image to display on a second computing device operated by the second user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   cause the second image to display on the second computing device after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the method comprises further steps to:
 cause the first image to display on a first computing device operated by the first user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the first image to display on a third computing device operated by a third user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   cause the second image to display on the first computing device and the third computing device after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         13 . A system for selecting and transmitting images to users of a social network, said images being associated with gifts to one or more of the users, wherein the system includes at least one processing component operable to:
 identify an first image associated with a gift given by a first user to a second user;   cause the first image to display on one or more computing devices operated by one or more respective users;   identify an second image associated with the gift; and   cause, by one or more processing devices, the second image to display on the one or more computing devices before or after initiating delivery of the gift to the second user.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first image and the second image are displayed on one or more respective webpages provided by a social network to the one or more computing devices, and wherein the one or more computing devices include a first computing device operated by the first user, a second computing device operated by the second user, and a third computing device operated by a third user. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gift is delivered to an email address of the second user, and wherein the one or more processing devices are operable to:
 cause the first image to display on a second computing device operated by the second user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the second image to display on the second computing device before or after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the second image to display on the first computing device and the third computing device after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the second image includes at least one color that is not in the first image, and wherein the one or more processing devices are operable to:
 cause the second image to display on the second computing device before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   initiate delivery of the gift to an email address of the second user.   
     
     
         17 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer-readable instructions embodied on the computer-readable medium implementing a method for selecting and transmitting images to users of a social network, said images being associated with gifts to one or more of the users, wherein the method includes steps to:
 identify an first image associated with a gift given by a first user to a second user;   cause the first image to display on one or more computing devices operated by one or more respective users;   identify an second image associated with the gift; and   cause, by one or more processing devices, the second image to display on the one or more computing devices before or after initiating delivery of the gift to the second user.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the first image and the second image are displayed on one or more respective webpages provided by a social network to the one or more computing devices, and wherein the one or more computing devices include a first computing device operated by the first user, a second computing device operated by the second user, and a third computing device operated by a third user. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the gift is delivered to an email address of the second user, and wherein the method comprises steps to:
 cause the first image to display on a second computing device operated by the second user before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the second image to display on the second computing device before or after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user;   cause the second image to display on the first computing device and the third computing device after delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the second image includes at least one color that is not in the first image, and wherein the method comprises steps to:
 cause the second image to display on the second computing device before delivery of the gift is initiated to the second user; and   initiate delivery of the gift to an email address of the second user.