UPDATE: Gifting is now much easier, so I’ve updated the post. However, I’ve left the old info after it, because I think it’s interesting to keep a record of how convoluted it used to be, compared to how easy it is now. If only Linden Lab had thought of the Now version Then ;)

I was browsing the search terms that led people to the blog, and I came across this one: why cant i send a gift to someone from the sl marketplace?

Good point! On the old XstreetSL site, before Linden Lab changed the code and it became SL Marketplace, the ‘send as gift’ option was right there on the item’s page, but now it seems to have gone. Well, it’s not gone; it’s just hidden a little bit and slightly more convoluted to get to (ie: more mouse-clicking!).

NOTE: You can’t gift a freebie item. Only items that cost L$1 or more can be gifted.

Hop behind the cut for a quick tutorial on sending a gift to someone via SL Marketplace.

UPDATED METHOD!

Now it’s easy. When you find your item, click ‘Add To Cart As Gift’ –

NOTE: You won’t see this option on a free (0L$) item. Freebie items can’t be gifted.

A little text entry box will open up beneath it. Type in the name of the person you want to gift to:

Another little text entry box will open up, allowing you to type a message to that person. Leave it blank if you don’t want a message, then click ‘Finished’ –

And that’s it! You can carry on shopping (either adding more gifts – to the same, or different residents- or buying for yourself) – remember, no more than 7 item in your cart before checkout (any more than that and Direct Delivery can get a bit wonky) and your gift(s) will be sent when you checkout your order!

OLD METHOD (doesn’t work anymore, kept for posterity!)

First, find your item and click ‘Add To Cart’ –

Then, click the little green Cart link on the top-right of the page –

You’ll be taken to a view of what’s in your shopping cart. This is where you can edit item quantities (Tip: to remove an item from your cart, simply change the quantity to zero and click ‘update quantities’) and it’s here that you send your gifts from. See the ‘Send As Gift’ link arrowed there? Click it!

A new little window will pop up. Fill in the name of the avatar you’re gifting to (if you’re sending to a newly-registered avatar who only has a single username, then their surname will be ‘Resident’). It will auto-fill (and turn blue) if you’ve spelled the name correctly and the avatar does actually exist (which is useful, because it ensures you’ve not made a typo and tried to send something to a non-existent avatar!). You can also write an optional message to your giftee. Once you’re done, click ‘Update’ –

You’ll be returned to your cart, which will now show that your item is a gift for [name of the avatar you’re gifting to] –

Select your payment option and proceed to checkout as normal (or continue shopping, if you’re on a spree!). Your item will be delivered in-world to your giftee, and any optional message that you typed will appear to them in green text. If you didn’t type anything in the Optional Message box, your giftee will still receive a green text message, stating something like: Xstreet SL Central Authority: [YOUR NAME] has given you a gift of “[ITEM NAME]” from XstreetSL.com! (Yes, amusingly it still says XStreetSL. Maybe Linden Lab needs to get onto that and change it to SL Marketplace!)

And that’s how to send a gift from SL Marketplace. Happy gifting!