Alright guys. I said I was going to do it, so here we go. (In case you missed the intro check out my WTF do I put on this baby registry post here):
So let’s start at the very beginning, which for us, was deciding where to register. Like everything when it comes to a registry, this really is a personal decision. Here was our set of criteria:
1. Easy Returns/Exchanges- This was really a lesson we learned after registering for the wedding. As much love and thought (and tears if you were me during the wedding planning process) as you put into your registry items, sometimes you just don’t end up needing certain things. What if we registered for all different types of bottles and the baby hates all but one type? An easy, convenient, and extended return policy was a must for us, especially in the current circumstances. Between, Covid and a newborn, we were also taking into account how easily we’d be able to even get to a store for returns or exchanges.
2. Selection- This probably goes without saying, but we wanted to make sure we were registering at places that offered a variety of items and brands in a variety of price points.
3. Completion Discounts- This also really came in handy during the wedding for items we hoped to get, but did not receive. Ultimately, we were able to get some of those items for 10-20% off. Kids are expensive, so every little bit helps!
After weighing the options, and considering the criteria above, we ultimately decided to register primarily on Amazon, with a splash of Buy Buy Baby, which carried the majority of the items that Amazon didn’t have. There wasn’t much, because, as you know, Amazon pretty much has anything you’ll ever need for every situation in life.
I was very proud of myself having made this decision pretty quickly. But not too far down the road of the registry process, we were thrown a bit of a curveball: the stroller we decided on after much research (don’t worry… more on that later), and all the accessories that went with it, were not available on Amazon or Buy Buy Baby.
Enter Babylist, which lets you register for items from anywhere that retails online and compile them all on one registry. This was a game changer for an indecisive person like me, because it also meant I could do things like put on that one fitted crib sheet I really like from Pottery Barn Kids without starting a whole new registry. I also liked that you could either compile everything onto one registry OR leave separate registry links to the registries we’d already started. (This is a good option if you want people to be able to shop in store and access your registry there or use any promo or discounts… hello everyone's endless stash of Buy Buy Baby/Bed Bath coupons)!
Armed with all my research and having already polled tons of mamas in my network to get their registry faves, I was now ready to begin. So what did we go with? Find out in parts 2+ of the registry chronicles…
