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The 5 best baby registries
Here are recommendations from new moms for the crème de la crème of baby registry retailers!
1. Target
Target’s baby registry is an ideal option for many reasons—they have great perks, they are everywhere (online and offline), and registries can include items for both baby and Mom!
- Website: http://www.target.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/target
- Free Registry: Create your registry
- Perks: 15% completion discount starting six weeks prior to your due date, easy mobile app, easy returns/exchanges, extra 5% discount when purchases are made with the REDcard.
- Free Apps: http://www.target.com/spot/mobile/landing
2. Babies “R” Us
No surprise that Babies “R” Us is #1 in many expectant moms’ books! As well, the registry program got a recent facelift with extra savings attached!
- Website: http://babiesrus.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babiesrus
- Free Registry: http://www.toysrus.com/registry/index.jsp
- Perks: Amazon price matching guarantee, up to 10% back on all registry purchases (including your own) with no payout limits, and your rewards eGift card automatically arrives five weeks after your delivery date.
- Free Apps: For iPhone/iPad and for Android
3. BabyList
This very unique “universal baby registry” service is free and permits you to register at any store (online or offline) to register for items and services—and automatically merges it all into one registry list (view an example multi-store registry list).
- Website: http://babyli.st
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BabyList
- Free Registry: https://babyli.st/registry/new
- Perks: Free email support to merge previously created registries into BabyList, 30 days before delivery you will receive 10% off discount registry completion codes for select stores on your registry list. See the list of discounted stores here!
- Browser Add-ons: http://babyli.st/add-items (for Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer)
- Free Apps: For iPhone/iPad and for Android
4. Amazon Universal Baby Registry
Amazon has so many offerings it’s easy to forget about their awesome baby registry! This registry is also a universal registry so you can add items from any online site to your Amazon registry with the click of a button.
- Website: http://www.amazon.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amazon
- Free Registry: Create your registry
- Perks: Access to baby registry sweepstakes (at the time of writing, the weekly sweepstakes winner gets a $500 Amazon gift card!), a 10% completion discount (Amazon Mom members get a 15% completion discount), free returns for 90 days, super easy “add to registry” feature.
- Browser Add-ons: For Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, iPad
- Free Apps: https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000625601
5. Buy Buy BABY
This online and brick-and-mortar baby-centric retail chain is linked to Bed, Bath & Beyond and is making a name for itself as a baby registry retailer as well!
- Website: http://www.buybuybaby.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buybuyBABY
- Free Registry: http://www.buybuybaby.com/store/page/BabyRegistry
- Perks: You get access to free in-store registry consulting services and online helps to help you build your list, the referral program gives you a $25 gift card good for any $100 purchase, complementary announcement cards, when you register online and then visit a store you will receive a free goodie bag and a coupon, a few weeks after your delivery date you will receive completion coupons (the discount is not listed but readers state it is 20% off).
- Free Apps: For iPhone/iPad
5 Key tips for building your baby registry
Creating a baby registry list that guests will actually shop from ranks at about the same difficulty level as medaling in the Olympics. Price, item type, shopping options, and more all must be carefully weighed.
1. Be sure the “big things” are on the list!
Create your “top 5 must-have” list of items and make sure they are on your registry. I suggest strollers, car seats, breast milk pumps, diaper Genies, and (of course) lots of DIAPERS.
2. Consider an online registry that permits you to register for services.
A maid, a doula, food delivery, new mommy classes—services are awesome, but few expectant moms get these as gifts because they’re not on the registry list.
3. Check the price range (top to bottom).
If you offer items at a range of prices, gift-givers will be less likely to “go rogue” and shop off your list (on average, 30% of registry gift-givers will shop in the $15 range).
4. Add personal notes to items on your registry list.
If you’re able (that is, if the registry service permits this) consider adding a personal note to each item you have selected to let potential gift-givers know why and how much you want of each item.
5. Include gift certificates as a registry option.
Uncertain gift-givers will appreciate the option to offer a gift certificate instead—and this way, you can shop off your own registry at a discount before it closes, and use someone else’s money to do it!
