This article was published on November 8, 2012

FedEx bets on social commerce, launches Ship to Friends app on Facebook


FedEx bets on social commerce, launches Ship to Friends app on Facebook

Because “friendship goes beyond digital,” FedEx has decided to launch Ship to Friends, an app which lets US-based users prepare and pay for a shipment without ever leaving Facebook.

Reminiscent of AOL’s all-in-one Internet of the 90’s, FedEx believes that over time Facebook “will increasingly become a fully integrated part of how we do everything from chat to shop.” While this may or may not prove true over time (in some ways it’s already happening), there’s certainly promise of growth in the “social commerce” space. Facebook knows this, and that’s why the launch of Facebook Gifts was a pivotal moment.

Here’s how Ship to Friends works, according to FedEx:

Ready to send your friends important packages or surprise them with memorable gifts and keepsakes? The FedEx Ship to Friends app makes it easy.

  • Select your friend
  • Create the label
  • Prepare your package at home
  • Drop it off at a FedEx location
  • We do the rest.

At its heart, Ship to Friends is not much different from the functionality FedEx already offers on its own site. The key difference here is that it lets users optionally post directly to their friend’s timeline, alerting them that they’re sending a package. Additionally, the app lets you select who you’re shipping to from a list of your Facebook friends, potentially making the shipping process a bit quicker.

The overall benefit of the app depends on how addicted you are to Facebook, but perhaps this move will help FedEx remain relevant among young people. Check out FedEx’s new app via the link below.

➤  Ship to Friends (U.S. domestic only)

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