We reviewed the Argos gift finder last year and, though it wasn’t perfect, it was an enjoyable experience. 

This year, we have a Tinder-style ‘swipe to like’ desktop and mobile app which allows users to view a selection of products and add them to a gift list. 

This app was developed by Convert, an offshoot of Nerv. To start, simply select gender, age and price range: 

Argos gift app

Then you can swipe left to dismiss the selected gift, or right to add it to your list.

There is an info icon to see more details, but I’d have liked to see the price of the items as well. 

Each like and dislike from users also contributes to and improves the filtering system, which should make for more relevant gift ideas. 

Once you’re done, you can review your selected gifts and click on them to email the selection or add to your Argos shopping basket. 

The transition here is a little awkward. Having selected one product, I’m taken to the basket page with no further details about the item I’m about to buy. 

A reminder of the product selected would be a very good idea here. Instead I’m straight into the checkout process. I imagine this will jar with some shoppers. 

Once you enter your postcode, you are then given a summary of the basket contents and can click through to see the product page if you need to see more details. 

This transition works better on desktop, with a reminder of basket contents and links to view more information about products. 

However, I do wonder whether Argos should be sending the app users to the product page rather than straight into checkout. This is something to test, and it may be that this approach works best. 

In addition to the gift finder app, Argos has also created a social Facebook game ‘Friend or Fraud’, where users log in with their profile to build their own wish list. 

They can then challenge their friends to see how well they know them by identifying the products they liked and disliked. This is a great way of extending the appeal of the app. 

It’s a useful app, and the addition of the Facebook game is a smart move which should extend its reach. My only real gripe is the transition between gift list and checkout, which could be smoother for the customer. 

The recommendations are good and, though my sox year old has already given me plenty of ideas for presents this Christmas, I came scross a few I’d never seen before. This is ultimately where the app can be successful.