Even though it might seem like the holiday season is still some time ahead, with Halloween right around the corner, time will start to feel like its speeding forward as we race through the end of the year. And while many people like to start their shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, now might be the perfect time to start making and collecting wish lists.
But there is now a new app that will make gift giving so much easier—especially for those who have a hard time finding something special for certain family members and friends each year.
Launched on Wednesday, the app called Whilo (short for "what I love") is a social network dedicated to gifting where users can create, follow and share their wish lists.
"If Facebook, Pinterest and Amazon had a baby, they'd have Whilo," the app's co-founder, Karina Calvert-Jones said in statement. "Whilo takes the guesswork out of gifting and ensures users give (and get!) the perfect gift, every time, for any occasion."
Whilo allows users to find inspiration based on what items are trending to be added to their own wish lists. These lists can be followed by other users, with them being able to see which items they have already picked up and which items would be perfect to gift them with this holiday or for whatever special occasion.
Users just taps or clicks on the item to be redirected to the product page for that item to complete the purchase. Once "Done," the user will them be taken back to the app or site.
"Gifting should feel good on both the giving and receiving end," Whilo co-founder, Lindsey Miles said. "The beauty of Whilo is that you can merge your favorite products, wish lists, inspirations and buying all in one place. You don't have to switch from app to app to search a product, buy something or communicate what you want."
After being purchased, that item becomes checked off the user's interactive registry anonymously so that the present is still a secret, yet there won't be any need to return duplicate gifts.
To get started on the app, users simply create a profile and start searching for products within in the app that can be added to said personalized lists. Products can also be added to to wish list after browsing the web on their desktop or mobile devices so that lists are made up of items that user loves from pretty much any store.
Users can create anything from their Christmas lists, what they want for their birthday, wedding registry, or just about any custom wish lists they can think of like winter fashion or things for the home.
After finding the item they are longer for, the user can add it to any of their lists to save it with a double-tap. Lists can then be shared and followed by others so that family members, partners and friends have a solid idea of the perfect present for that user.
Users can also check out the "Discover" tab to find products that are popular on the platform on its "Trending Lists" that are curated by Whilo's team of editors and influencers known as "Tastemakers."
These include suggested products that are based off of what is trending, with the list curated by other users that are part of the community that are in the know as to what is hot and popular.
"Our algorithm is based on what our users are sharing and engaging with the most," Miles said. "Plus, Whilo's 'Featured Lists' highlight the best from leading tastemakers around the globe... all of this combined user-power dictates to Whilo what's truly the 'best' of online."
This feature makes it easier for even those who aren't big shoppers to find items worth purchasing or gifting.
Whilo makes gift giving a social experience, allowing users to be able to pick out the right present for any occasion.
Whilo is now available to download for iOS in the App Store and for the desktop via the Chrome App Store.
