Put a picture in a box...

[toysaver]

I worked the phones for a major catalogue company for nearly a decade and there was always this time of year when desperate customers called about gifts that would not be arriving in time for Christmas.  We were told to tell customers to wrap up a picture of the item in box with the late delivery information.  Half of the people were keen to the idea and the other half either swore or hung up. 

[ebooksdiva]

Not a good business practice. 
It’s a lot like what some unscrupulous sellers do the scam buyers. 

[dhbookds]

I've done that over the years and my buyers were receptive to the idea.........

[tdl_collectibles]

I've been on the receiving end of the printouts and it's fine by me.  Christmas shouldn't be all about the gifts anyways but more the fact you are together with those people.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

I've given my kids and various other giftees "IOU"s at different times even back in the days before online buying.

Gives them something else to look forward to after the actual "day" is over and gone.

[yuzuha]

My parents did that the year my sister and I wanted a Furby for Christmas. All of the stores were sold out-- they'd managed to order one but it wouldn't arrive for a week or more after Christmas, so they just wrapped up a picture of the Furby so that we knew we were going to be getting one as soon as it arrived.

[femmefan1946]

@ebooksdiva

No. I think you misunderstand.

The Seller isn't putting a picture in a box and mailing it. That would be a scam.

The buyer is pulling the picture off eBay, adding a printout of the USPS tracking info, and giftwrapping that.

And half the recipients will laugh and half will burst into tears.

Hopefully none of the tearful ones are over 16 years old.

[inhawaii]

There was one Christmas, all I wanted a picture of a bike.

All I got was a picture of a picture of a bike.

[femmefan1946]

@inhawaii 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q3rJ76D_wQ

[css2001]

There was one Christmas, all I wanted was a big box so I could use it to make me a fort. 

Instead I got a bike.

[simba6]

About 17 years ago eBay had a deal sort of like that.  It was called gift alert.  The seller could send one and the person would receive a message saying a gift had been purchased for them on eBay.  They could not see what it was until the date chosen by the sender. After the date passed they could open it and see what was purchased ahead of when it would arrive.

I sent one to myself to try it . It was neat but only offered the one year and never again.   I thought is was cute.   Maybe it will come back some day???

[femmefan1946]

Not only cute, but it also tells the gift recipient that shopping on eBay is a thing.

(I hope the date of the order was included in the Gift Alert.)

elizabeth@ebay 

Something to mention at the next brainstorming session.

[dhbookds]

Had someone buy on Thurs........had messaged me if they could get it by Fri.....lol......gave them the pix in box suggestion and they bought!!!!!

[elizabeth@ebay]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Not only cute, but it also tells the gift recipient that shopping on eBay is a thing.

(I hope the date of the order was included in the Gift Alert.)

elizabeth@ebay 

Something to mention at the next brainstorming session.

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I love this and will be passing it along. Thank you @simba6 and @femmefan1946.