Update: 4.30.12 – Social gifting, the new buzzword in e-commerce
I wrote about an idea along these lines sometime ago and Wrapp just might be the early way to get it done.
Original Article
Ran across Pepsi’s Social Vending Machine Story while I was in the process of purging some old files and it got me thinking about ways that we could make paying rent an even more social experience.
Is it reasonable to think that Facebook, Twitter, G+ or even resident portals could be robust enough to allow payments by third parties unassociated with lease contracts and the such?
Following the concept of Pepsi creating a the experience of sending free sodas to friends; could you see the same thing apply to rent payments? If my buddy knows that I have fallen on hard times and wants to help; could he go to our website, log in without disclosing his identity [at least to me] and pay my rent? Or, a portion?
It already happens in the analog world. Or not, if leases are written such that you can not take third party payments [not smart in my opinion]. In the former case, parent’s pay their student’s rent via various payment methods. A process, at least at Mills Properties, that is usually administered by our onsite teams. Can we make it DIY for third parties with technology? Do you employ such a service today? Tell us about it.
Your looking to make paying the rent a more social experience multifamily maniac,
M
0 Responses
1) I’d love to see a way for rent to be paid using Square.
2)If you could allow 3rd party payment, could you also allow partial payments, like donations?
Would that not rock! Check in, pay rent for yourself or another.
To speak to the second point – we have something in place called add a buck that I think fits the bill. We will post about that at some point in the near future.
Let’s rock that first idea for now. 😉
On an aside, are your freezing today?
I’m making it work. Thanks for asking. Crazybob says he’s seen several apartments that take Square
As I wrote about this morning ChargeSmart might be the way to do what you suggest. It’s a 3rd party company where you can make a credit card payment online, pay a fee to do so, and give the money to anyone.
Thanks for the idea! I will check it out.
And NO… I don’t work for or have any affiliation with them at all.
Ha! I did not assume as much. You strike me as the type that would give full on over the top disclosure if you were. Have a smashing weekend.
Love the idea Mike! One question though: If we, as property owners and managers, begin advocating 3rd-party or “rent-gifting”, are we sending the wrong message to our residents? Will the residents start to feel less responsible for their rent if they know that someone else could pay for it at any time? Would love to your know thoughts, my friend! _TH