Last week I had an awesome opportunity to travel south to San Francisco for the X.commerce Innovate Conference. It ran October 12 & 13th and is put on by some of the leaders in commerce; eBay, PayPay, and Magento. Here’s a recap of the conference from my perspective.

I caught the 7:30am flight out of Toronto on Tuesday October 11th and touched down at SFO shortly after 9:30am local time, this gave me a full day of prep before the conference got underway. Mo (Founder & CEO) was head down, hard at work in the hotel room all day and night prepping for his VC Bait pitch the following day. My first task was to source out a local print shop that could do a small run of business cards before the end of the day. The place we decided to go with was quite the trek across town but it had to be done, I went through a ton of cards meeting and talking with people at the conference. That night there was a #preinnovate tweetup that took place in our hotel’s bar. Special thanks to Magento’s community manager Rhonda Rondeau for organizing it, there was an awesome turnout! I shut it down early that night, had to make sure I got a good sleep before the conference got underway.

The east coast to west coast time difference worked in our favour on the first day of the conference. We were up bright and early, ready to head over to Moscone West where all the action was taking place. SocialGift was a sponsor of the conference so we had a booth in the Partner Pavilion. It was a busy day on the show floor, everyone was eager and excited to learn all about the new products, apps, and extensions associated with Magento. This is the day we officially announced our group gifting plug in for retailers. It received a great response from everyone, retailers and developers love the concept. We ended up signing up way more people than we had originally hoped for!

After a full day at our pavilion on the trade show floor we walked over to Moscone North for what proved to be an awesome party. I walked in with wide eyes and a dropped jaw, it reminded me of my first day at camp. They really went all out! It was like an indoor circus, there was an arcade, dodgeball battlefield, virtual reality rides, human hamster ball races, remote control cars, go-karts, and more food & drink than you could handle. Oh, not to mention, The Shins performed too. After indulging in food, music, and games we called it a night.

We got some shut-eye and it was back to the show floor for the 2nd (and our last) day at the conference. It wasn’t as busy as the previous day but our booth had steady traffic and we got to meet more great people.

X.commerce Conference was an awesome first for me and it was spectacular for SocialGift. We had a great time talking to everyone about our new plug-in and look forward to what’s sure to be an exciting couple of months ahead.

Happy Gifting,

Andrew Moore

Community Manager, SocialGift.com

A very insightful look into the future of social commerce from eBay’s CEO, John Donahoe. He also gives some hits of what to expect from their upcoming X.commerce Innovate Conference.

Last week our partners at Demac Media hosted Canada’s first ever Magento Ecommerce Forum. About 75 people made their way to Toronto’s new, classy bowling alley The Ballroom after work for food, drinks, and to talk Ecommerce with like minded folks.

Tim Schneider kicked things off with an introduction to Magento and what we have to look forward to from Magento Enterprise. Next up was Matt Bertulli who gave everyone a quick rundown of what his team has been up to at Demac Media. He also spent some time talking about SocialGift’s social commerce group giving platform, and introduced the retailer plug-in we’ll be unveiling shortly. Gauging people’s faces I noticed a sense of curiosity and anticipation. Wrapping the talks up was Steve Patti from Peer1 Network who gave a brief talk on their hosting services.

Then it was on to socializing over appetizers and cocktails where Demac and SocialGift staff received numerous inquiries and great feedback regarding our retailer plug-in. It’s safe to say Toronto’s Ecommerce community and online retailers are eagerly awaiting release day.

We’re changing things up a little around here! We’ve moved our gift-giving ideas site over to The Daily Gift, where we’ll continue to provide interesting, and unique gift ideas for those hard to buy for people with the most discerning of tastes. The SocialGift blog will now be more personal - it’ll give you a first-hand look at what’s happening at SocialGift, what we’re working on, new features, updates, and launch dates. You can subscribe via RSS, follow the Tumblr or check back regularly.

We look forward to giving you a look into what we do,

The SocialGift Team

House and home décor gifts are universally appealing because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t like pimping out the very space in which they live? With seemingly hundreds of thousands of worthwhile home additions to choose from, however, being faced with the conundrum of choosing just one is no easy feat. Consult this list for cool ideas, or simply use them as inspiration to find a gift of your own. Once you’ve chosen the perfect present, head over to SocialGift.com’s gift catalogue to pitch in with friends and give the recipient something truly memorable. 

1) Marseilles Weathered Oak Chalkboard, $349-$745 - A School Lesson of Interest
Reminiscent of a provincial schoolhouse chalkboard, this Marseilles Weathered Oak Chalkboard is one part functional, one part French country chic, and one part original, as it sets itself apart from magnet attachments that dominate on refrigerator fronts. Be it grocery lists, homework reminders, or the simple musings of any given family member, this elegant chalkboard can be mounted either horizontally and vertically, or simply leaned against a counter-top or wall. In any case, this antique-looking piece serves as a beautiful addition to any home. At no small fee, why not contribute with friends to give your this decorative centerpiece through SocialGift? Setting fun for the whole family, it will be a chalkboard attraction even the most disinterested of students will love.

2) Nespresso CitiZ C110 Espresso Maker, $279 – Starbucks, Minus the “Bucks”
If you do the math, most of us spend far more exorbitant amounts of money on Starbucks or Tim Hortons coffee than we’re willing to admit. With this Nespresso CitiZ Espresso Maker, you get only the highest quality espresso shots delivered to you out of this sleek, compact machine in your very own home. Whether it be a much-needed jolt on a Monday morning or that boost of energy to help you survive long hours of work, this espresso machine from world-renowned coffee brand Nespresso is sure to be a hit among any person whose life line runs parallel to caffeine intake.  At $279 dollars, the Nespresso CitiZ is the perfect price to pitch in with a friend on SocialGift and give its lucky recipient what really, is a life-long gift card to any overpriced coffee shop.

3) Vitamix Professional Series 500 Blender, $600 - Not Just A Magic Bullet
Perfect for families looking to innovate their already tried-and-true repertoire of recipes, the Vitamix Professional Series 500 Blender allows you to create your very own soups, smoothies, and frozen desserts at a quality consistent with restaurant-grade standards (they don’t call it “Professional” for nothing). With its three pre-programmed settings feature, the machine customizes its blending technique to suit your preference – be it a velvety soup (the blender even stays heated as it blends!) or a vitamin-packed smoothie for kids on the go. At $600 dollars, the Vitamix is ideal to be gifted from a group through SocialGift, and is sure to be a welcome countertop addition for the fortunate friend on the receiving end.

4) Brookstone Outdoor Wireless Speaker and Dock, $149 – Bringing Your Beats Al Fresco

A party without music is like fries without the ketchup, cake without the frosting, peanut butter without jam…for the mere purpose of me cooling it on the metaphor front, I’ll assume you get where I’m going with this. A party without a bumpin’ soundtrack is just lacking in the goodness department. Summer nights only mean outdoor parties, so this Brookstone Outdoor Wireless Speaker and Dock is the perfect way to bring your tunes to the great outdoors. Weather resistant and made-to-carry, this gadget can boom your beats from within 150 feet of your docked Mp3 player or stereo. At $150 dollars, it’s ideal to gift with a friend through SocialGift just in time for your friend’s next party.

5) Edie Velvet Chaise in Vanilla, $579 – Fancy Yourself a Little Luxury
Regardless of whether or not you can afford to pay someone to listen to your problems and dispense life guidance, you’ll still feel like a million bucks sprawled on this plush, tufted cotton velvet chaise. Perfect for sitting back and indulging in your guiltiest of reality TV pleasures, or simply lounging around with a good read, this Edie Velvet Chaise is both elegant and luxurious. Through SocialGift, friends are able to chip in and have this delivered straight to its recipient’s door. Talk about luxurious.

6) Knotted Melati Hanging Chair, $498 – Easy, Breezy, Beautiful

There is something universally appealing about a hammock; be it that it is associated with cool, breezy nights, or that it’s simply a fun way to sleep outdoors. Hammocks, however, like most suspended objects, do not come without their pitfalls – the threat of toppling over, for example, followed by bruised limbs and a bruised ego. The Knotted Melati Hanging Chair, on the other hand, combines one part hammock with one part egg chair design that still utilizes a hammock’s selling points – the veritable rocking motion, the summery connotations, the macramé motif – while employing a decidedly more stable design. To be hung on either porch rafters or tree branches, this Hanging Chair is an ideal summer staple for any outdoor digs. At just under five hundred dollars, its potential as a meaningful gift worth giving is not lessened, thanks to the essence of SocialGift: the ability to pitch in with others to give someone special something truly great.

7) Wood and Wool Stools, $110 Each – Crocheted Cool Without the Kitsch

Certain sixties trends seemed to have resurfaced as the epitome of cutting edge cool in contemporary times: the skinny jean, mismatched patterns, and the moccasin, to name a few. On the other hand, despite their ultra-stylish status at the time, some trends are better left remaining in their era, appropriate only for costume party attire. The poncho – that crocheted, multihued outer garment that really, could double as a blanket – is one of such. These aptly-titled Wood and Wool Stools, on the other hand, are evocative of this one-time object of envy in the best way possible. By incorporating its high points – from its crocheted appeal to its playful patterns – these stools, made of recycled wood, are a colourful addition to any living room. Through SocialGift, you can gift a set of them, split the price with friends, and have them delivered right to their fortunate owner’s door. As the Jackson 5 once sang, it’s really as easy as 1-2-3.

8) Milestone Bike Stand, app. $600 - A Striking Spatial Solution

Bike-riding urbanites are oft faced with the conundrum of where to store their wheels at the end of the day. Many are left chained outside, risking the threat of bicycle theft, while others are forced to reside in staircases or fire escapes, chancing the possibility of cramping both the bicyclists’ style and living quarters. The Milestone Bike Stand, on the other hand, offers a spatial solution that is both sensible and aesthetically pleasing. Comprised of two parts, the Bike Stand is designed to house the front and back ends of your bike, stabilizing it in upright position. This marble fixture is the perfect way to board your bike in-house without having to lean it against a wall, and thus avoiding chips or scratches as an inevitable consequence. Despite its virtues, picking up what is essentially a marble dumbbell is no easy task. If ordered through SocialGift, you and your friends can get together to purchase the Stand, seamlessly split the cost, and have it delivered to its recipient – without the associated costs of having to hire a moving service to carry it!

9) Saporiti “Read Your Bookcase” Shelf - Worth Reading Into

It is estimated that the media bombards us with as many as 3000 messages daily, so it’s no wonder that over time we become desensitized to whatever information is being thrown at us. This “Read Your Bookcase” shelf, on the other hand, is ironic in that it asks to be read and houses the objects that most obviously demand to be read, too. What’s more, each letter is actually an individual box shelf within itself, so the letters can be re-arranged and stacked to form whatever message may tickle your lettered fancy.  Not exactly the type of gift you can simply wrap in a box and hand to a friend, this larger-than-life piece of Italian décor is the perfect gift to pitch in with friends online, and then have the lovely people at SocialGift deal with all the muss and fuss of getting it to its lucky recipient. Bellissimo!

10) Cold War Creations Nixie Clock, $245 - A Brighter Solution From Darker Times

During the Cold War, the U.S. and Russia were at each other’s throats to both incite fear and to upstage one another with their respective technological inventions. One of Russia’s more impressive feats in the realm of technology was their use of “nixie tubes” to comprise digital displays, using intricately shaped cathodes to form numerals that, filled with neon gas, would tell the time. The creation is now long gone on the market due to its staggering cost and high voltage requirements. Now, however, Cold War Creations has repurposed the Russian invention with modern technology to create this Nixie Clock that is both contemporary and nostalgic, calling forth visions of colder – er, darker – times of war. This Nixie Clock is the perfect entity to gift with friends through SocialGift – equal parts a curiosity and an object of history, this Nixie Clock is an object of interest that would be an asset to any living room.