Evite

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Evite.com Logo
Evite.com Logo

Evite is a social-planning website for creating, sending, and managing online invitations.

Evite was launched in 1998. The website is a free, advertisement-supported service. It is owned by conglomerate IAC/InterActiveCorp.

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[edit] Usage

An event organizer creates an online invitation through the website via a simple interface. This online invitation is colloquially referred to as "an Evite". The host enters e-mail addresses of prospective guests and Evite sends e-mails to the guests. Each guest is in one of four categories: "Attending", "Not Attending", "Maybe", and "Not yet replied". Guests move themselves from the "Not yet replied" category to one of the three "replied" categories and can write additional comments.

[edit] Features

[edit] Reminders

  • Hosts may send an automatic reminder e-mail in the days prior to the event.
  • Hosts can determine through the web site whether a guest has viewed the invitation or not.

[edit] Style

The HTML page for the invitation may have various stylistic features chosen by the inviter. These include setting color and layout and renaming the four guest categories.

[edit] Updates

Hosts may opt to send guests updates when other guests RSVP for the event, or when the event details are changed.

[edit] Legal Controversy

According to Mashable and Venturebeat, Evite has threatened to sue San Francisco based start up and competitor Socializr due to alleged copyright infringement.

[edit] Criticism

  • Entrepreneur Auren Hoffman wrote a blog post in January 2006 pointing out that Evite had great potential but had not improved for six years. Later Auren wrote a guest column for VentureBeat in September 2006 called "Why I hate Evite".
  • Friendster and Evite competitor Socializr founder Jonathan Abrams has written a detailed critique of Evite
  • On May 14, 2007, Valleywag listed Evite as #1 in their list of Companies We All Hate: "Why it sucks: The invitation e-mails don't contain the info for the event! Gah! And the page everyone clicks to is choked with ads."
  • Time Magazine named Evite one of their "5 Worst Websites" and "Sites to Avoid". [1]
  • Wired Magazine's February 2008 issue on "Why Things Suck" includes an article criticizing Evite. [2]


[edit] Notable references

  • The Simpsons: The character "Snake" responded to a fellow inmate who was unaware of an impending jailbreak:
"I sent you an Evite. You never responded. Nice Netiquette, jerk!" audio clip
  • Alias: In season 4, episode 3 Jack crashes a birthday party thrown for Weiss and comments on his lack of an invitation: "Unless it was an Evite. I don't read Evites."
  • The Office: In E-mail Surveillance, Jim Halpert sends Evites to his coworkers to a barbecue at his house, excluding regional manager Michael Scott from the guestlist. "Wonder where my eVitation is?" Scott ponders aloud.

[edit] External links