At nearly the same time, Facebook unleashed two new ways to spend more time on their website. Target, Walmart and Best Buy have all announced that they will be retailing Facebook “credit” gift cards in denominations ranging from $5 to $50 increments. These credits can be used online for a multitude of Facebook’s applications; including games like Petville or their “birthday” application which allows users to give a gift to a recipient on their special day.

Perhaps more groundbreaking, however, was an announcement from Causes, Inc., a for-profit company which allows Facebook users to give money to non-profits found within the Facebook framework.  The company announced last week that after raising 16 million dollars, Causes has begun retailing its own “gift” cards at Safeway and Vons supermarkets.  Once a user has a Causes gift card in hand, they will have access to donating any increment of their gift card amount to literally thousands of causes, with Facebook becoming the portal to channel the funds from the user to the charity.

Facebook’s Causes application connects more than 119 million people with charities around the globe.  According to the group Giving USA, Americans gave over $303 billion dollars to philanthropic causes last year.  Causes sees Facebook’s community as a way to channel much more giving through social networks for two reasons. 

First, it provides a way for the individual to give on a small amount to multiple organizations and two, the gift card concept frees up the hassle of “running to get the wallet” to plug in a credit card.  It also encourages “spur of the moment” philanthropy as a viewer might get wrapped up in an online community over a cause; having a Causes gift card allows a user to “click” and donate much like iTunes purchases are handled.

Do you believe this will make online donating easier?  What retailers would you like to see carry the “Causes” gift card?