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Facebook Cancels NYC Gifts Event Ahead of Hurricane Sandy

In light of the imminent landfall of “Frankenstorm” Hurricane Sandy in New York City, Facebook has become the next company to postpone scheduled events in the city. Earlier this month, Fac...
Facebook Cancels NYC Gifts Event Ahead of Hurricane Sandy
Written by Josh Wolford
  • In light of the imminent landfall of “Frankenstorm” Hurricane Sandy in New York City, Facebook has become the next company to postpone scheduled events in the city.

    Earlier this month, Facebook sent out invitations for a November 1st event set to take place at FAO Schwartz on Fifth Avenue. The event invited media to “come see what’s new with Facebook Gifts,” and it was widely expected that Facebook would announce many new retails partners ahead of the global launch of their new ecommerce initiative.

    The company has confirmed that this event has been cancelled.

    Facebook launched their new Gifts platform last month as an all new way for users to send friends real life items like clothes, toys, food, and more. A previous version of Facebook Gifts allowed users to send their friends virtual goods. Users will be able to send friends gifts and pay using Facebook Payments. Gift recipients will receive notifications when a gift has been purchased for them, and will be allowed to change sizes, flavors, and designate a shipping address from their end. For Facebook, it will be a new way to generate revenue that’s mostly divorced from advertising.

    Facebook gifts is still in a small test phase and it’s unclear exactly when it will roll out to all users.

    Facebook has also cancelled an Engineering open house planned for Tuesday in the city.

    I mentioned earlier that Facebook wasn’t the first tech company to cancel an event for the storm. Google has also axed their big Android event that was set to take place this morning. The company was expected to show off new Nexus products at the event.

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