How to purchase an eBook as a gift

[simplygrainfree]

I had a question from someone who wanted to buy my ebook for a friend and I didn’t know the answer. The question was can someone buy the ebook for another person as a gift, where the file download link is sent to the person who buys the book, can they forward that link to the person they are buying it for? The book has DRM protection. If not a direct forward of the email what is the best procedure for buying an ebook as a gift?

Thanks

[kevinlomas]

No I do not think so because I think the purchase and its password will be linked to the buyer's account and may not work with another account You should have the original file on your PC though, send them that.

[simplygrainfree]

Thanks for your reply. It's not me that wants to purchase it as a gift, it's a customer so I wont be sending them my file.

What if they pay using their paypal account but put the person whom the gift ebook is for as the email address and not their own?

[kevinlomas]

It's all a bit confusing and 'new'. It's not as if the gifter can type in any address to have it sent to because the product does not really exist!
I also do not think that an e-mail address is the answer either.
To be honest if it is being bought from Lulu then the gifter needs to ask Lulu, not you.

[Javed_Afridi]

By way of suggestion, can Lulu.com not have an option where a person can pay for the book and then have Lulu.com send the books content ID to an email address provided by the buyer (said email address being that of a gift-recipient)?

Many people would like to gift books (even eBooks) to their friends on special occasions and this idea could kick-start more sales for authors and Lulu.com.

[kevinlomas]

Put it in the Suggestions section, but good luck with that idea.