Opinions : Best/worst places to register?

Sembree1

We will be registering in early November and aren't sure where we are going to register. We are not over the top kind of people (more along the lines of target then Macys). Does anyplace have incentives to use their registries? Are any easier then others in the case of duplicate or broken gifts? Thanks for reading!

mlg78

I hated BBB just because they pressured me so much.  I didn't enjoy the process of registering there either.  They had the china pattern we liked cheaper than Macy's though so we went that route. We had a small registry at Kohls which was okay...  Target was my favorite.  Registering was an easy process and their website was easy to use for updates.  I did get 3 blenders and 3 hand mixers despites my registry only having one listed but if I went in to edit, it'd show 3.  I was able to return them easily for a store credit though.  If I did it all over, I'd do the same 3...but BBB will really pressure you so do the other two first and know what you're going to register for with a list before you go in so they don't add a crapton of stuff on there with you.

jessicabessica

We did Macy's, BBB, and Amazon.  They all worked out well and allowed us to register for a variety of items.  Macy's and BBB are good about returns, including of items that you have used and found something wrong with (really, minimal questions asked).  Amazon is not as convenient for returns, since you have to pay shipping unless the item is defective--not great for duplicates.  

Target tends to have bad reviews on this board, so you might want to search for those.  

Also, I don't think Macy's is "over the top."  I get what you're saying, but I put Macy's and BBB on the same level, and I think Macy's can be better value--better deals, better shopping experience (IMO--going into BBB is exhausting), and free shipping once you hit their minimum.  

ETA: On incentives, Macy's and BBB both have completion discounts, and Macy's has another perk if you have a Macy's card.  I think most stores have completion discounts if you register there, although not so much with the online-only stores, like Amazon.  

fre3doms

We're registered at BBB and Amazon. We personally had a good experience with BBB. Our helper was very sweet and not pushy at all. It felt like registering with an aunt or older friend helping you.
We decided to do Amazon as well cause BBB doesn't have a few things we want. I don't have too many things on that registry right now. I moved a few things from BBB that were cheaper.

I think it helps with BBB if you go in there with a plan. The first time we went was after buying our wedding rings. So I did not have my list with me but I had ideas in my head. The second time I brought my list and even had specific colors/themes in mind. That way I could be assertive about what we needed to register for.

hoffse

Macy's is not over the top.  Nieman Marcus is over the top.  I have friends who register there, and that's what makes me roll my eyes - not Macy's.  I agonized over this and here is what I finally decided:

1) In terms of perks, Macy's is the best.  BUT only if you qualify for a Macy's card and you pay your card off in full.  If you have a Macy's card and enroll in their registry rewards program, then Macy's will give you "registry rewards" which translates to a gift card after your wedding.  They give you 10% back on everything you buy and 5% back on everything your guests buy from the time you enroll your card until 6 weeks after the wedding (I think).  I ended up using Macy's for my rehearsal dinner dress, shower dress, Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, etc. to accumulate rewards.  We got over $300 in gift cards after our wedding.

2) Proximity to your guests is more important than rewards.  Our guests demolished our Macy's registry - literally there were 3 items left on it after our wedding, and that was after I added things about 6 weeks out.  Our Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma were about half gone.

3) Returns need to be easy.  Most of the major places have decent returns, though I have read about issues with Target, and Amazon still has their standard 30-day policy.  Other stores give you like 3 months or 6 months.  So it's just something to be aware of.  Usually 30 days would be plenty but when you're buried under a mountain of presents it can be sort of tough.

4) Inventory matters a lot.  Macy's and BBB don't have a huge number of seasonal things, so if you register in the fall most of your stuff will still be around in the spring.  Crate & Barrel has a really high seasonal turnover and PB and WS do as well - though they won't actually let you register for very seasonal things, and semi-seasonal (like 6 months) are marked on the registry for you so that you know to watch it.

5) General customer service is important.  I liked Macy's, hated BBB.  The guy at BBB scanned things we explicitly told him we didn't want.  It irritated us so much we just deleted that registry and decided to send our business elsewhere.    Plenty of brides love BBB and hate Macy's.  It's largely dependent on who is working that day when you walk in.

I found Macy's packing to be superb and items arrived very quickly after they were marked as completed (yes I peeked).  We had 1 plate break out of about 70 fragile items they shipped to us, and they replaced the plate with no issues.  Pottery barn and WS usually took more than a week to arrive, though their packaging was also acceptable. 

One thing BBB does not have, which Macy's, PB, WS, and CB all do is a thank you note manager.  Sometimes guests will forget to fill out a card, so you won't know who the package is from.  The thank you note manager lets you log into the account and see the name of the person who bought the item for you.  I have read about some difficulty with tracking down gift givers through the BBB corporate hierarchy.

 6) Other completion perks are usually pointless, which the exception of PB and WS (and maybe CB).  Those stores will sometimes let you layer your completion discount with other discounts if you shop in-store, but most places don't let you do this.  Usually you can get a better deal at BBB with a 20% off coupon than your 10% completion discount - unless you are buying brands that are excluded from the 20% coupons (and most big bridal brands are).  At Macy's, I just wait for the friends and family sale which is 25% off everything... including waterford.  So their 10% off completion discount is also pointless.  But I used our gift card we received from them during that sale, so that worked out.

7) Finally, this is a personal choice.  We went with PB instead of CB because we like the style of PB items (more shabby chic) than CB (more modern).  But that doesn't mean CB is bad.  We went with Macy's over Dillards or Belk because it was closer to larger pockets of guests.  It doesn't mean the other two are bad.  Truly the only registries I have read about on these boards as having consistent issues is Target and Kohls, because both websites seem to be glitchy and don't necessarily mark items as completed.  Target also has a shorter window for returns, and that trips people up.  The BBB stories about being pressured to add certain items is also somewhat common, though I would suspect that the vast majority of brides who use BBB don't encounter that. 

southernbelle0915

Our main registries were Macy's and Amazon. Then we had a small registry at Crate and Barrel. We got WONDERFUL service at Macy's, Amazon was super easy and Crate and Barrel was run of the mill. 

csuave

We did BBB and Target.  For BBB we did most of the registry online to avoid any hassle from sales people and it was very easy.  Returns were very easy, the registry was kept up to date and guests liked the free gift wrap and using coupons.  It was a great experience with their registry.  The regular coupons are better than the completion discount (and you can use a coupon even if it is expired).

Target was equally popular with guests (if not more because of the convenience factor) and the registry was easy to do both online and instore. They give some coupons and stuff when you make the registry and then a 10% coupon at the end.  I just used the 10% off last night online and it gave me 10% off everything I put in my shopping cart and then I got my 5% off red card discount on top of that. 

I had problems with Target though in that they did not kept the registry current with purchases or returns.  There were A LOT of duplicate gifts.  But every time we did a return it was easy enough and we could use the store credit for our everyday shopping.  I think returns may get difficult after 90 days though so I made sure to make that registry closer to the wedding.

JMalettas

 We used Sears & Home Outfitters for our registries. Both stores aren't *crazy* over-the-top, yet both carry a ton of stuff! Neither were pushy, and we were able to browse around & electronically register, ourselves. We both enjoyed the process, & had fun choosing things! Neither stores had any major incentives. Sears gave us a KitchenAid cookbook for registering for a certain # of items, of that brand. It was nice, but it obviously wasn't why we chose to register there! Incentives are nice, but generally not anything amazing. I would recommend both stores though, as they offer items for all parts of your home. Inside & out.

 Happy registering!

 *J

allispain

We did Macy's and Target - online only (I didn't want to have to go into a store and deal with someone trying to convince me to register for things we didn't need, and it's hard enough to get DH to go shopping when he knows he needs something - there's no way I would have gotten him to go for a registry).

There were pluses and minuses to both.

Target pluses: 

- some of the bigger ticket items (stand mixer, etc.) were lower in price here than at Macy's (for the same brand)

- when someone spent over X amount of money (I think it was $200 but it may have been less, I don't remember) I got sent a gift card as well for $30

- close proximity for our local guests as well as most of our OOT ones

- 10% completion discount

Target minuses: 

- things would go out of stock or be discontinued, so I would have to keep an eye on our list and make changes as needed

Macy's pluses:

- most of the items were really well packaged (we had one that I had to request 2 more times because the first two times they sent it whoever packaged it didn't do a good job) - however, the replacements were totally hassle free

- conveniently located for most guests who wanted to purchase in person

- Macy's has lots of sales throughout the year, so guests were able to keep an eye on those sales prices and buy things for huge discounts

- we were also able to use our 10% completion discount during a sale season, so got great deals

Macy's minuses:

- the wedding specialist from the Macy's near where we used to live still calls me to tell me about upcoming sales so I can complete my registry (there's maybe one thing left on it) even though she has been told that we moved and are not interested in completing that last item

mlarchweds

I've registered at Macy's, Target and Crate & Barrel. I haven't had my shower yet, but I've received two gifts so far - both from Macy's. I think they have good rewards/sales and good quality packaging. 

I did all my registries online. I plan on going to both Crate & Barrel and Macy's just to double check that I really do like the china I registered for but both are so easy. 

Target is probably the most difficult. I hate how items that I register for constantly are going out of stock. I registered there mostly for the bedding that I loved. Other than that, super convenient!

maryemoo

So far we've only registered at BB&B, but our experience was really good. When we saw a certain item, but not in the pattern we wanted, they helped us add it, answered any questions we had without talking down to us, and when they noticed us looking at a 4-piece flatware set as if it were a full 16-piece, they politely told us it was the 4-piece and directed us to the full sets, without interrupting or sounding rude.

mbrooke2008

We registered with Macy's, Dillards, and BB&B. I had no problem with Macy's or Dillard's, but BB&B was a real pain. We received multiple gifts that had incorrect cards with them, so it was hard to know who the gift was from. We did not have this problem with Macy's or Dillard's. However, Bed Bath and Beyond does have a good exchange policy ( we had multiple gifts from Bed Bath and Beyond that were broken and needed to be exchanged). We did not register for anything in person because during our engagement I was living in Texas and my husband was living in Virginia so it made since for us to do it online together.

erinlin25

we did BBB and Kohls because both stores were in my hometown and easy for guests all over to find one nearby.  Both were easy to use; create/update and I especially liked the bonus on the Kohls--we got a 15% card after the wedding we could use anytime/as many times as we wanted for 3 months after the wedding, and then after 3 months were sent a gift certificate for the bonuses we picked up from our registry (like Kohls cash, but does not expire and can be used on anything in the store or online (not just registry items). I have heard hit or miss with Kohls, but it was my favorite and I actually got pretty much everything from that registry so it was a guest fav too I guess.

BBB was guest friendly since there are always 20% off available, but there bonus was lame and you only got a one time 15% off, but you had to buy on one transaction.  With us not having our house yet it was pointless to buy a lot of stuff all at once,  So I used one $100 gift card for that day to just complete the sets of things, and then every month I use a 20% off to buy an item on the registry in store and online.

I would have done Macys but my home store is far and all the things I would have picked there were at BBB.

I also was a fan of Amazo.com but again I felt more people would go to the physical stores instead and since I found all the things I liked at the stores I just stayed with the two and scrapped my amazon registry.  

lizandmark2014

If I were choosing between Target and Macy's I would go with Macy's.
1. The store is national.
2. There are incentives. ( ex: buy X dollars or X number of a specific brand they Cary get a free pot or gift card.)
3. Their cashiers are used to giving gift receipts.
4. Macy's return policy is better than target's. (Ex: If item X is returned at Macy's you can use the In store credit for anything in the store. At Target you have to perches things in the same part of the store. ( Target- return a bath towel, get in store credit for another bat item.)

ohmrs2014

We registered at Macy's and Crate and Barrel.  We hated our experience at BBB so we moved everything over to Macy's that we could and chose Crate and Barrel for the rest.  I have not had any problems with our registry except for the occasional item being discontinued.  Macy's does have excellent benefits, especially if you have the card like PP have said.  Both have a completion discount as well.

mommapizano

We are registered at BBB and Macy's. I hate BBB's registry system and honestly they website layout and everything really irked me and I have since parred down that registry to be really small. Macy's has been great and so far all our gifts have come from there (we get married in 1 week!). They always have sales too, so I think that's kinda nice. 

I would highly recommend Macy's because they have a huge selection, not just upscale items, and Macy's stores are pretty accessible. I have heard Amazon is a good place to register too but that would probably only be a good idea if you think people will be buying their gifts online. Most of our crowd is older, so we opted for brick and mortar stores. 

clg1213

lizandmark2014 said:

. 4. Macy's return policy is better than target's. (Ex: If item X is returned at Macy's you can use the In store credit for anything in the store. At Target you have to perches things in the same part of the store. ( Target- return a bath towel, get in store credit for another bat item.)

I have NOT done a registry there, but on just normal things I've found Target returns SUPER easy.  I've gotten gift cards or had the money re-credited to my CC....obv the latter isn't gift-appropriate but the former took less time than it took to checkout when I bought it!   I've done it w/o the receipt but with the tag and been fine.  I have never heard of them limiting folks to a section of the store. 

I do admit this is all just shopping experience...no idea if it is different for a gift but wanted to mention it since has been something that's always impressed me at Target

melbelleup

Go based off what stores you have around you and where majority of your guests like to shop. We're doing Macy's, Kohl's and BBB. None of my family will even think to shop at BBB because our nearest one is about 30 minutes away... but all of his family would think to shop there because theirs is nearby. My mother and aunts are addicts of Kohl's but we really only found sheets and quilts there that we loved. We just did our Macy's one and although it's more expensive than BBB, they have a lot of the same items. Since there is no BBB in my location (of the wedding), we thought Macy's would be a good idea since it is in all the malls around my area including my fiance's location.

ETA: I was going to do a Target one, but when we went to look at items we honestly couldn't find anything we wanted that we couldn't get elsewhere. I was actually disappointed by their selection.

Shock107

I would definitely NOT recommend using Sears as a registry site! We registered there because they had a variety of products (tools, cookware, bedding, etc) that were well priced. We also thought it would be convenient for our guests, as many were from out of state, but had a local sears store. From the start we had issues with Sears- we had to use three different scanners when registering in the store because they kept malfunctioning. The website is not very friendly and we had guests say they had a hard time using it. A few of them told us they were going to order at Sears, but then went to our Macy's site because the Sears site was not user friendly. Our biggest complaint is that we had a very nice espresso maker ordered for us from our registry. Sears orders these through another company, who then ships them out to the customer. Sears provided this company with our name for both the billing and shipping information. We have tried to track down the sender of the gift, but sears has told us they can't give us the information. The third party has apologized, but told us they only ever received our name from Sears and are unable to help. We have spoken with multiple people at Sears and have been told that we cannot speak with a manager because the issue has been resolved (it hasn't). They have also told us that we don't need to send a thank you to the person who ordered it, because they already sent one to thank them for purchasing from Sears. 

mmm4763

We are registered at BBB and Belk (because this is the dept store that has universal proximity to friends and family). 

We did the BBB registry 100% online after having gone to Belk to register in person.

While I appreciate Belk's thank you note manager (it keeps a list of who purchased what), the "registry stalker" in me is kind of glad that I have some element of surprise with the BBB registry! (But practically speaking, I do wish BBB had the thank you note manager element). BBB has been incredibly easy to navigate online while Belk's site sometimes seems temperamental and not all that intuitive.

I do have to say that Belk's fulfillment process is REALLY jacked up and inefficient though--to the point where it's almost comical. I don't know if they are relying on individual store stock to fulfill the items purchased online or what but...one person generously purchased (in a single transaction) all of our dinner plates, salad plates, cereal bowls and mugs (china that for whatever reason they did not offer as a complete place setting but is available as complete place settings at other stores). So far, I have received four boxes on four separate days from four separate points of origin. And twice the boxes only contained a single item (1 mug, 1 dinner plate...I kid you not)! And everything has still not arrived! It just seems so wasteful! Thanks to the "thank you manager" I can see what was actually purchased though and I can audit what's still outstanding---but it seems like a mistake just waiting to happen!

seshat303

We just set up our BBB registry the other day and had a fine experience.  The consultant was a little pushy (kept making references to what we had being "a good start", nope, we're pretty much done lady) but it was pretty easy to ignore without really feeling pressured.  She also just did a quick walkthrough of the store with us, asked if they were any areas we'd like some more detailed info on (I wanted to get the run down on their various sheets and towels) and then handed us the scanner and let us do our thing.  Because of the stories I've heard about BBB, FI and I did a recon trip earlier and made a list one our own first, which was still helpful.

We also registered with Amazon since they carry the cookware I really love and have the universal feature. We honestly could have used Amazon for everything, but wanted to give people the option of going to a physical store as well.

KPBM89

We did BBB and Macy's.

BBB: The lady walked us around the whole store.  This was half annoying/ half great.  She did point out some great things to us, but honestly it shouldn't have taken as long as it did.  The nice thing is they always have 20% off coupons out so guests can use those to purchase gifts.

Macy's: Loved this much more!  Lady walked us through the dept's really quickly and explained a few things and then let us scan as we pleased.  They always have great sales (our flatware is currently buy one set, get one free!) and we also signed up for their rewards program with the star card.

We liked BBB; we loved Macy's.

lauracutter

We registered at William-Sonoma, Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn.  We have all the essentials, so most of the stuff we picked are upgrades (dishes, flatware) or items we can't afford, but have always wanted (kitchen aid mixer, vitamix blender).  I'm pretty sure all of them have completion discounts and almost everything we chose can be bought online.  We did William-Sonoma in store, but the other two mostly online.  We also had no interest in China, so these places were great for us, especially William-Sonoma, as my Fi is a chef.