Los Angeles, CA, April 14, 2009 – Imagine all the great stuff about group gift giving – the cost sharing, the message “we care” thoughtfulness, the pooling of funds so you can give something bigger and better – without the pain of collecting cash, laboring over a gift choice or schlepping to a store. It’s all precisely why eDivvy (www.edivvy.com) was invented. eDivvy.com makes it a snap for friends, family, business associates – any kind of group – to choose and split the cost of a gift.

Most group gifting sites offer one option - gift cards. eDivvy.com tops that by adding thousands of fabulous items from retailers and brands spanning Apple Store, Macy’s, REI, Sur La Table and other leaders (view all at http://www.edivvy.com/learnmore/merchants/). Going the next step, eDivvy makes choosing that gift -- often the toughest part of group giving – a snap through expert advice. iPod Nano? eDivvy’s got it. Toyota Prius? Got that, too.

eDivvy.com is remarkably easy to use. The organizer of the group gift creates their group gift event by choosing the occasion and an invitation design to match. They customize their invite information and then select the product(s) they want to group gift. After a few more simple customizations, they add the email addresses of those they wish to invite to group gift and send. eDivvy.com takes over from there. Once each e-mail recipient receives the email on behalf of the organizer, they can choose how much they want to contribute, and charges that amount to a major credit card through eDivvy’s highly secure process. Once the group gift is fully funded, eDivvy.com ensures the gift is shipped directly to the recipient from the retailer from which it was chosen. All of those who contributed to the gift can also sign a virtual gift card for the recipient. The organizer can check in throughout the process, see who has contributed and the remaining amount needed to purchase the gift, and send gentle reminders if need be.

“Splitting the cost of a gift is done all the time offline. But the simple fact is it’s often a hassle to coordinate with friends or family, collect the funds, and purchase the gift. It can take days or even weeks. We knew there was a better way that could re-energize the joy of giving as a group,” says eDivvy.com president Eden Jarrin. “We developed eDivvy.com from the group organizer’s point of view by creating a simple and fun process to customize your group gift invitation, as well as provide the best gift choosing experience possible which is reflected in the blue chip list of retailers and brands you see on our site today.”

Jarrin said today’s tight economy is also the right moment for an idea like eDivvy.com. “People still want to delight their friends, family and business acquaintances, but for obvious reasons may feel less able to. Splitting the cost of a more expensive gift is the solution,” she said.

eDivvy.com can be tapped for charity fundraising as well as occasion-based gifting. “It was clear to us after speaking with our members that they wanted the capability to raise money for their favorite charity, school, or church group. We’re proud to also facilitate non-profit occasions as well,” Jarrin said.

New retailers and gift options are regularly being added to the site. Follow news, gift ideas, and more at http://www.edivvy.com/blog/.

Source: AOL Money & Finance