The system says I have "2 free gifts to give." Does sending a free gift count against that credit?

Sending gifts that are free will not count against your 2 free gift credit. These free credits will allow members to send two premium gifts (normally $1 gifts) for free.

Overview: Gifts

Gifts are fun images you can send to fellow group members to share birthday wishes, send your congratulations, or say a quick "hey." You can choose from several fun gifts in different categories, and you can add a personalized message with your virtual gift. Some gifts are free and some gifts cost $1 to send.

Sending gifts

To send a gift, go to my bigtent > gifts and choose a gift and recipient. To see step-by-step instructions for sending gifts, see this FAQ: How do I send a gift?

You can re-send a gift to a different recipient on the "sent gifts" subtab. Go to my bigtent > gifts > sent gifts to view gifts that you have sent. These are listed in delivery order, starting with the most recent gift. You'll have the option to send the same gift to a new recipient by clicking “Send this gift.” Then select a new recipient, write a new message (optional), and choose a delivery method before purchasing (for premium gifts) and sending your gift.


Public vs. Private gifts

Public" and "private" gifts vary slightly. With public gifts, gift details (sender’s name and optional message) are visible to other group members. With private gifts, gift details (sender’s name and optional message) are only visible to the recipient and the sender. Other group members will only see the image of the gift in the "My Gifts" box located on the lower left-hand side of the recipient’s profile


Receiving gifts

Gifts you receive will appear on your profile. You can also elect to receive an email notification when you receive a gift. Learn about all the ways you can be notified of a new gift here: How will I be notified when I receive a gift?


Why does BigTent charge $1 to send some gifts?

Our Gifts feature is one of several revenue streams with which we are currently experimenting. Virtual gifts also provide a great way to welcome new members to your group or to provide a cheerful online gift.

We offer several free gifts for you to send to other group members, but if you're looking for a specific gift, we offer several "premium" gift choices as well for $1. You will not be charged any additional transaction fees - you will only pay $1 per premium gift. When you purchase a premium gift, a charge from “BigTent” will appear on your credit card statement.

How will I be notified when I receive a gift?

When you receive a gift, you will:

1. See the gift upon signing in to BigTent, along with the message and the sender’s details (name and profile picture). You can then close this window or give a new gift to the sender.

2. See an alert in the “greetings box” on the “my bigtent” page. A “Gift Alerts” message will appear here with a count of the new gifts received. Once you click to view the gift alert, you will see your gift along with the message and the sender's details. To dismiss your "Gift Alert," click on the gift image. When you close this window, your "gift alert" will disappear.

3. Receive an email notification, if you have elected to receive email notifications for new gifts. You will have the option to click ‘View gift’ from the link in this email. Doing so will take you to BigTent where the gift will be displayed in the middle of the screen as described above. You can manage this preference by navigating to my bigtent > settings > email options > personal notifications. Simply make your selection under “My Gifts” and save your changes.

4. See your gifts on the "what's new" page in the "my bigtent" area. Other group members will see that you have a new gift in the "Recent Activity" area of their "what's new" page and will be able to see the gift on your profile. However, depending on the gift type (public vs. private), members may or may not see the message and sender of the gift.

How do I send a gift?

Gifts are a fun way to connect with other group members to say "hello," "congrats," or "happy birthday." To send a gift to a fellow group member:

* Go to my bigtent > gifts > send gifts.

* Click on the virtual gift you would like to send. Clicking on the gift will highlight it with an orange outline. Free gifts are marked “free.” Premium gifts are marked with their price in dollars.

* Choose a recipient by typing the name of the member you'd like to receive the gift. As you type, a drop-down with suggestions will appear. You can complete your typing or choose from the list of suggestions by clicking on the appropriate name. Currently, you can only send gifts to one person at a time.

* Add a message (optional) up to 100 characters in length.

* Choose a delivery method. If you select "Public gift," other members will be able to click on the gift from the recipient's profile and view your message as well as your name. If you select "Private gift," other members of your group will be able to see the gift, but will not be able to see your message or your name as the sender.

* Click “Continue” to preview your gift along with your message.

*If you have selected a premium gift (i.e., a gift that costs $1), you will be prompted to enter the appropriate payment information before you can send your gift.