It is nearing the end of the school year, which means gifts for teachers.  It is also getting very close to prime time wedding season.  And there are always baby showers and birthday parties at work. With the cost of gifts rising, the desire to join together with others for a group gift is increasing in popularity.  Enter Internet start-ups like FriendFund and the Gifts Project.  They have created online programs and widgets that allow retailers to offer group gift giving services on their websites.  Or, in the case of FriendFund, women like us can set up a gift giving account online where others can chip in for a gift from anywhere.  Ebay is also in the game now, too.

I don't know if the founders of these concepts did research with women, but it is obvious they understand that gift giving often falls to us.  And it can be quite challenging trying to collect all the money and keep track of it.  These tools are true conveniences for women.  They not only keep track of who has paid and how much, but they can be set up to proceed with the purchase once the correct amount is received.  

Have you tried any of these services?  What do you think of the concept?