Philosophies of Gifting

This thread is to share forum members' philosophies of gifting. Where the New Users Guide for Gifting created by Chloe11111 (https://www.airportcitygame.com/index.php?threads/new-users-guide-for-gifting.2310/) is a basic guide for new users, I thought it might be helpful to go beyond that.
Like all of you, I have more active neighbors than I have gifting slots. When I began playing AC, I used a first-in-first-out approach: If a neighbor sent me a gift, I would send one back.
While that worked okay, I found myself getting lots of items I really didn't need and, more importantly, not getting the items I really did need. So here's the philosophy I've been using for a while now:

1. If a good neighbor PMs me and asks for specific gifts for a specific length of time (for example: "please send me Navigation Modules every day until the end of the current quest") I will do so ... even if I get nothing in return.
2. If a neighbor sends me an item I have requested, I will send them an item they requested.
3. If a neighbor sends me an item I have not requested, I will not send them a gift. (I used to send back one gift they requested for every two gifts they sent me that I did not request, but I realized that kept me from gifting other neighbors.)
4. If I have any gifting slots left, I will view the daily thread and gift neighbors who have posted there. I give precedence to new forum members who are just starting out.

That's my philosophy of gifting. What's yours?
Cheers,
Tom

My philosophy:

1. If a neighbor gifts me something I need, they usually take priority and I send them what they need. If I don't know what they need, I send something that I need, like fuel for example. I figure everyone will always need fuel anyway.
2. If I am in a hurry or in a crunch for time, I usually scroll on the gifting tab and see who has sent me what I need and also needs the same thing and hit 'send it back.' Then I hit 'send it back' for the rest of the gift recipients.
3. All other times, I usually prioritize anyone who send me gifts but once in a while I would send gifts to anyone who has not sent me any as long as I know they are actively playing.

I used to keep track gifting in an Excel before but with a full time job, hobbies (yes, AC is just one of my hobbies), house chores and going out, I stopped using the Excel.

It has never happened that I am short of people to send gifts to. I always wish I can send more than 20 gifts.

Normal Philosophy (but I reserve the right to break my own rules )

1) If anyone asks (PM) for a specific item I would normally send that at the next opportunity.
2) There are a couple of forum neighbours who started out about the same time as me and we have helped each other get up the levels for a long time. They will normally get a gift as first priority.
3) Forum neighbours who have gifted me something will be next. I try to send what they have requested in the forum.
On most days that will take me to my gifting limit with several neighbours still left over, but on days where I still have gifts left over I would alternate between the next two.
4) Non-forum neighbours who have gifted me something (I don't have many non forum neighbours)
5) Forum neighbours that I have received gifts from before but not recently.

I do keep an Excel sheet which lists the last requested item (normally from daily thread) for forum neighbours and try to update it every now and then.

My philosophy of gifting depends on the circumstances.

1. If there is a quest, quest items for people who need them have priority (sorry for those who finished the quest already)
2. If there is a level upgrade, building items for that level have priority (also to those who haven’t reached the level yet). The reason is: they disappear and that makes gifting harder
3. Active forum members have a plus with me. I do not mean the ones who only post once a day with their needs, but the once who make the forum social, fun, interesting etc. Who help others. I am willing to do an extra step for them….. (if time allows it)
4. I try to gift as many neighbors as possible without going crazy……
5. If a non-forum member sents an item (mostly to Jpjpjp999) I hit sent back, they have a hard time getting what they need and I don’t have that many neighbours outside the forum (some I have from the start)

Without repeating everything you have all said the consensus is that we help the most needy first from the forum. PM method it best.
Also non forum members who sent obscure gifts? Usually means they need it returning.
Although they are worded differently the comments are generally the same and I totally agree

flip123 Crazy, you go crazy gifting every day!!!!!!!

For me, it (now) depends on what is going on.

1. When it is busy (work, family) and there is no quest that requires send specific items, I have been sending back what I get. Luckily it has been less then 20 people.

2. When it is busy and there are quests that require specific items, I check the forums and send what I know people need.

3. When I'm not busy (which has not been this summer), I check the forums and send based on signature. Typically check how long it has been since someone has logged in just to make sure they are around and send to those I know on my list. There is a person or so that isn't on the forum (and I wish I could point them here) that I'll return to knowing they are in need.

Generally I agree with all of you guys.

1) I try to send only to the forum members.
2) When there is a quest then a quest items.
3) I try to send back flight or repair items.
4) If someone want exactly the same what I need and in is in his/her gamename then I send it to this user to let him easy send back.

Sorry to all of you, when I am too fast I also make some mistakes and by scrolling quick not always hit that what I want (today it was @BaliHi).

And this is the philosophy I follow in gift activity:
1) I have neighboor from this forum but also other not. I try do send (rotating, 1 day yes, 1 no) to all
2) In case of neighboor from this forum I read from the signature what each neighboor need and I send it
3) In case of neighboor NOT from this forum I can't communicate with them so I send a gift of the Group of which is the gift I need to receive (for example if I need altimeter and the X neighboor has I send gyroscope)
4) Very often I send back gift to neighboor that continue to send unuseful gifts (for example gift of low level) in order to don't encourage them to go ahead

Unfortunately it's not possible to communicate with everyone so often it's a loss of gift!!!

One proposal to GI (that I will send ASAP) could be to enable not only the free sending of 20 gift/day but also the Exchange of gift in stock (for example if I have 100 Landing lamp and I need another one, like Navigation module we could exchanges with other neighboor).

Cheers

Massimo

Massimo4256 said:

One proposal to GI (that I will send ASAP) could be to enable not only the free sending of 20 gift/day but also the Exchange of gift in stock (for example if I have 100 Landing lamp and I need another one, like Navigation module we could exchanges with other neighboor).

Click to expand...

That is such a very good idea .. so I can exchange all of my Solid Fuel to the one who needs it the most .. preferably to one PEB

LOL Juvenal

Juvenal said:

That is such a very good idea .. so I can exchange all of my Solid Fuel to the one who needs it the most .. preferably to one PEB

Click to expand...

Great idea.
You never know, GI might just implement it .

Having a building that gives out green bills was suggested once, and we finally got a Casino 2 years later!

Hi all

Great thread, for me the gifting is a major part of playing AC. I have 2 games so send out my max of 40 gifts daily.
I take gifting seriously, if I have time I will check out the signatures and send what they need.
I get annoyed if I forget to send something I have promised (I work during the day!) and seriously p'd off if my
finger slips on the phone game as that's a gift wasted

For the ipad game I tend to work on a send me what you need basis as I have good stock gained from playing every day.
I set up my phone game mainly to send neighbours 20 fuel, including myself of course

I have amazing and supportive neighbours, being on the forum is always great fun and definitely enriches the game
for me.

The original gifting thread I posted was completely based on a major bug in the IOS version of the game and has since been corrected. So it doesn't really apply any more. My philosophy has changed significantly since then and maps to @greensmith very closely. Preference is given to people who also pay attention to what I need. I take the time to check signatures every time I gift.

Android users have it easy since they can change their name. We IOS users aren't so lucky. So unfortunately for us, it means we only get what we really need in two circumstances
1. The users of this forum check signatures for what we need and are kind enough to send it.
2. People return gifts that are sent to them and you sent what you needed, not necessarily what they needed. (Which I really dislike doing)

But I also dont usually ask a specific person for a gift. I'm more likely to put out an APB for help like I did the other day.