Buy Hongbao Online

It was only a matter of time, of course. Gift cards have been available online for ages, even for NGOs (see Wokai’s website). And now, finally, China's famous red envelopes are making their Internet debut as well.

China’s first online hongbao-giving website, OurHongbao.com, just launched early last week. It claims to be providing an invaluable service: “allowing family and friends who cannot attend your special event contribute [sic].” In other words, it eliminates any room for excuses for not buying gifts, even if we don’t care to attend said wedding, baby shower, birthday or whatever.

Not being able to read Chinese is no excuse, either, for both English and Chinese versions of the website are available. (It seems like they’ve done a fairly professional job with the English, too – hardly any Chinglish in sight.)

They really couldn’t have made the transaction any easier: you simply create a registry, invite friends and then start collecting money and gifts, all in a matter of minutes. (Yes, that’s right – you can compile a wish list, too, should you prefer specific items over cash.) OurHongbao.com will manage the rest for you, reporting any relevant information you need to follow the progress of your contributions. The only catch is that you as well as your “guests” must have Alipay accounts. Oh – and they’ll deduct about four percent for management fees when they transfer the money to your account.

Their press release touts this service as the “modern way for the new generation of Chinese newly weds [sic] to easily manage hongbao for weddings, and other events.”

To generate even more buzz, the first 100 registered OurHongbao.com users will have the opportunity to win a Marquise diamond wedding ring (RMB 20,000 value) from South Asia’s The Carat Club.