Ask HN: Shopping for yourself or someone else online?

[ricberw]

Do you shop for yourself? Or someone else? Or both? Or neither?

If you shop for someone else, who is it? Why? How do you find the right things for them?

Would you be willing to tell the websites you're shopping on who you are shopping for?

[Kaibeezy]

I buy ordinary things on Amazon and Walmart for an elderly relative. Cranberry juice and vitamins and picture frames for the grandkids’ artwork. He’d never manage choosing the better deal or non-ripoff shipping, and is nervous about using a credit card online. No worry, pops, I’ve got you covered.

We live in a somewhat remote small town and buy basically everything online, (including occasional grocery delivery, lingering habit from the years of the virus), excepting local meat, eggs, baked goods, etc.

As long as it’s nothing I’d prefer to hide, I’m not sure I would care if they knew Who it was for. Can sort of tell from the shipping address, no?

[ricberw]

Good point -- if you're shipping it direct to the recipient, yes, it might be pretty easy to identify "for someone else" -- but that's a post-purchase nugget of knowledge.

When you buy as a gift though, you probably ship to yourself first in many cases, right?

[Kaibeezy]

Actually, no, only rarely. We use the Amazon “gift” feature and add their address. Our people are widely distributed.

[ricberw]

I'll start: usually shop for myself, plus shop for gifts for others.

I do, however, share links with friends and family when I find something that is an amazing product/service at a good value.

I'd love to tell websites who I am shopping for if it means I'll get better recommendations/have a smoother experience.

[kosasbest]

> Would you be willing to tell the websites you're shopping on who you are shopping for?

Amazon asks if the purchase is a gift during checkout. I've never told Amazon it was a gift, even if it was. I don't know if they ask for a personal message for the giftee after checking that checkbox though.

[ricberw]

They do ask for the message when I check the box :)

[theGeatZhopa]

Just a play of mind.

If I were buying some NSFW things, I would be happy to tell it's not for me, as the buyings are then used for target ads and I don't want to be retargeted :)

But, when I shop, then mostly for myself. Sometimes for my family. Then it doesn't make sense for me to tell the shops for whom am I buying.

[ricberw]

Do you feel like a single prompt at the start of your shopping journey would turn you off/be a blocker?

E.g. "Are you shopping today for yourself or someone else?" as an entry gate.

[theGeatZhopa]

Not at all. With some explanation "why we ask", it would be better.

On the other side, I would Welcome the possibility to mark the products "for others" while putting in the basket. Usually, it's a mix of different usages in one order.