A gift registry is a form of managed wish list made for a special occasion where gifts are customary, the most common of which are for weddings and baby showers. With the advent of the internet however, gift registries have diversified into abundant categories, such as honeymoon or charity registries.
Where a commercially run gift registry differs from a typical recipient-run wish list is that the registry is managed by a third party; this can either be by a retail store, or increasingly gift registry websites are being selected instead. Items are compiled and prioritized into a list, which is then sent to the chosen company. Upon buying an item on the registry, the registry is updated to be viewed by other guests wishing to gift an item on the list. This offers many benefits for both the givers and the receivers of the gifts:
It provides convenient and easily accessed information for what items the giver should buy. If managed by a retail store, it means that they only have to search one store in order to buy a gift.
It prevents people purchasing duplicate or unwanted gifts, which is great for both the buyer and the recipient. It saves the family the time and hassle of updating the registry. Registries usually make the purchaser of a gift anonymous, reducing the negative social interactions that can result from competitive gift purchasing.
When contemplating whether to use the services of a specialized retailer or to use a registry website, several aspects of each should be considered. While using a retailer for your registry is generally free, the gifts on the list must be ones available from the store managing it. If you feel you do not want your guests to needlessly search through a variety of stores, this can be seen as an advantage. Retailers will also usually have specificstaff that can help you in a variety of matters related to the registry, such as gift ideas or return policy.
Online gift registries on the other hand, offer the ability to shop at home, more variety and instant communication between persons. They can be used for a variety of uses, can choose a larger variety of goods from multiple stores (known as a Universal Registry), plus simple cash registries are available if that is what you desire.
Some websites even offer discounts on selected goods if they are included in your registry. However, most websites offer their registries at cost to the host, and great caution should be taken in making sure both the registry service and the listed gifts are legitimate. Thoroughly research the reputations of websites that you may be deciding about using, to avoid both confusion and heartbreak.
For some great gift ideas including an online gift registry and online event organiser, visit wippygifts.com.
