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To date, the marketing literature on gift giving has focused on two approaches or paradigms-economic and relational exchange. This study adopts a different perspective, proposing a community paradigm to provide a holistic view of gift giving. The data (based on 20 in-depth interviews and 2 group interviews) suggest that, on the Internet, social networks of relationships cohere into gift-giving communities that influence the purchasing of gifts. A gift is defined as an exchange in which the transfer of goods or services that, although regarded as voluntary by those involved, is part of cultural and social behavior (Belk, 1976). Gift exchange is a social activity confirming relationships and social interactions. Here, a holistic perspective of the evolution of the gift-giving literature within the field of marketing is presented, outlining three distinctive paradigms. The first paradigm evolves from an economic exchange model, describing the transfer of goods. The second paradigm introduces a relational model, explor-

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