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| (Image Source: Manila Shopper/Rakuten Viber) |
Rakuten Viber, a global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication and a leading chat app in the Philippines, has partnered with Korean online-to-offline casual mobile commerce company Share Treats to introduce the first-of-its-kind gifting experience in South East Asia with Treats on Rakuten Viber. Filipinos can now greet and treat the special people in their lives directly in the Rakuten Viber app, as well as request gifts for any occasion, be it a birthday, a regular fine day, or any highly-anticipated holiday.
Thanks to its partnership with Rakuten Viber, Share Treats has become the first company to introduce the gifticon technology (a combination of ‘gift’ and ‘icon’) in the Philippines. With this technology, which originated in South Korea, online gift-giving is as easy as sending a message — and comes with a plethora of options to suit every taste and budget. With Treats on Rakuten Viber, users can now send online gift cards to their friends and family: from beloved food chains like Jollibee, Dunkin’, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Auntie Anne’s, The Bistro Group, and McDonald’s — to essential staples like the convenience store giant 7-Eleven and trusted pharmacy Mercury Drug. They can also share online gift passes for shopping destinations such as The SM Store and Lazada or services like the FoodPanda food delivery and motorcycle taxi app Angkas. They can even give vouchers for e-wallets such as GCash and Maya or gift codes for GrabGifts. You can find the gifting chatbot via the app’s search function or by clicking “Send Birthday Treat” in the one-to-one chat when you see a birthday notification for a person in your contacts. To start giving and getting gifts:
• Subscribe to the Treats on Rakuten Viber chatbot.
• Pick a brand and a specific treat.
• Pay through options like GCash, Maya, and GrabPay.
• Select a Rakuten Viber friend and send the treat.
Similarly, to request a treat, simply choose a brand, or an item from the brand, click ‘Request’, and send it to any contact. Users can also send heartfelt gifts to their loved ones with just a few taps on their smartphones, seamlessly and regardless of distance. Soon, users will be able to create and see their contacts’ WishLists to make the gifting experience even easier.
“It is a significant milestone in digital gifting that allows Filipinos to send greetings with treats, while prioritizing ease of use, security, and efficiency. Rakuten Viber already has millions of Filipino users who are relying on this superapp to stay connected with their loved ones. It’s an essential part of everyday conversations. Adding the Share Treats experience to the app allows them to give gifts as easily as sending a message," says Share Treats Innovation President and CEO Hong Bae Lee. Rakuten Viber's Asia Pacific (APAC) Advertising Sales Lead Karla Banua explains, “Rakuten Viber is thrilled to partner with Share Treats because it’s part of our goal as a superapp to enrich the overall experience of our users and meet their needs at every touch point. Given the Filipino’s rich gift-giving culture, this partnership with Share Treats allows our users to strengthen connections and express their thoughtfulness in exciting new ways.”
