Monday, November 10, 2008
Geni Expands Virtual Gifts
Los Angeles-based Geni.com said today that the firm has enhanced its virtual gifts feature, the ability of the users of the family tree site to send each other birthday greetings and other gifts on the site. According to Geni, it has completely revised its gifts, adding better quality graphics, more selection, and a focus on holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events. Geni also said that it has connected its birthday and anniversary features on its site to allow people to include virtual gifts with those greetings, add their own personalized messages to those gifts. In addition, the firm said it will provide advance purchase discounts to the gifts--which normally cost a $1 each--so that if users purchase 10 or 20 gifts, they get half off the price. Geni runs a Web 2.0-style site to help people create family trees and connect with relatives through social networking features. The firm was started by former PayPal founder David Sacks, and is venture backed by the Founders Fund and Charles River Ventures.