Facebook Is Rolling Out A New Kind Of Gift Card

As part of Facebook's push into e-commerce, a crucial initiative to diversify the company's revenues, the social network is rolling out the ability to give friends a gift card loaded with money for multiple retail stores.

Facebook has experimented with gift cards in the past, but rather than allowing you to purchase goods at retail stores, the cards were the opposite—plastic gift cards sold at places like 7-Eleven that let you spend money on Facebook, primarily for virtual goods in games.

The Facebook Card is the polar opposite—a gift card you manage on Facebook but use in the real world. You can add money from retailers like Jamba Juice, Olive Garden, Sephora, and Target. For example, you can give a friend a Facebook Card loaded with $50 for Jamba Juice, and $100 at Sephora.

Once you purchase the card, your friend gets notified and in a few days, will receive the Facebook Card via mail. Recipients can check balances on Facebook's mobile app.

Facebook You can view your gift card balances on Facebook using your phone or desktop.