practical (but selfish) question

mica178

I finally decided on a fine china pattern, but after looking at the different registries, I found that while it is available at Macy's (my main registry), the Macy's listed price is twice the price listed on amazon.com.  The problem is the guests that I think would actually buy me fine china for my wedding are not likely to buy it online. 

So do I list my fine china with Macy's, where it's more likely to be completed, or take a risk that no one will buy me china and list on a website that my older wedding guests will not see?  Or do I list for a different pattern on Macy's that is at the appropriate price point, and if I can't live without "my" pattern, I can return the stuff to Macy's and use that money to buy my set on amazon?

Thanks for any advice you can provide!

gottahavashorti

You could put a few place settings of your china pattern on each registry.  Macy's does tend to have a lot of coupons and sales, so it might end up being somewhat reasonably priced.

Galaxy8227

I would probably just list it at Macy's.  I've never had a problem with anything shipped from Amazon, but I feel that people who would buy your china would just buy it from Macy's. 

mandybear7

I agree with pp. Even though I buy things online, china is something I would want to look at in person before buying.

Also, if you have a Macy's card, you get rewards for registering there and can put that towards completing the china yourself.

jinxed8605

I would just register for it at Macy's. If you don't get all the settings for your wedding, you can get the rest yourself.

PolarBearFans

i would just do macys... like today my pattern is full price, but most days it is much cheaper on a special sale. today it is $150, but normally it is $99. macys has sales all the time, and several a week, and sometimes their online price is way cheaper. most people who shop macys are familar with the sale cycles so i wouldn't worry about the price. and unlike amazon, you have a store to go into if you have problems or if any of the items arrive broken.

skippylouwho

Macy's often runs sales on their china, either 50% off or buy 2 get 3, that sort of thing. Same thing with crystal and flatware.

Sagenhaft

Just FYI, I registered at Macy's and they told me that they will not give any money for returns, just gift certificates. So you can't plan on returning china and then using the money to buy it from Amazon.

Plus, I would be kind of annoyed if I bought someone nice china thinking they would use it and found out they just returned it for something better -- I'd rather just pay for the gift they actually want.

Jennifer2008

Register for it at both, and keep an eye on it. 

zippityb

I agree with doing half and half. Amazon is cheaper not only in listed price, but also with super saver shipping AND the fact that there's no sales tax for the majority of the country.

PolarBearFans

with amazon.com you still need to pay sales tax to your state just as your would a regular store... they just choose not to collect it for you, but you still need to report your purchase to the state

skippylouwho

Register for as many sets as you want at both stores. As you receive sets then reduce the number you want.

If you register for 12 place settings at Macy's and at Target and get 2 sets from Macy's, reduce the number requested at Target by 2.   If someone then gives you a set from Target, reduce your number at Macys.  This will help keep you from getting more than you want - which can happen.  My DD's MOH got 15 place settings. 12 from Macy's, 4 from BB&B, she didn't think to subjtract sets from the BB&B list as she received them from Macy's.  She did rerturn the 3 extra sets for something else.

klmillig

One thing that one of our registry people pointed out is that there are always the things that a few families will go in on together to get something more expensive. Instead of the risk with shipping breaking or chipping the china, I'd just get it from Macys and smart shoppers will know to look for coupons etc.

dmteebo

My FH and I started putting together our registry at Macys and ended up moving practically everything over to BB&B - the main issue is pricing - the china pattern we picked out is almost half price at BB&B as compared to Macys (not to mention that you can use BB&B coupons for an additional 20% off)... Now don't get me wrong, I grew up on Macys and love the store, but in this economy, saving money for everyone is a concern of mine.  Just thought I would pass this along!

CL3542

My china set of 8 place settings is like $650 at Macys, but it goes on sale for $200.  I still have it listed at Macys because they have a larger package than other sites (it includes more items per bundle) even though you can definitely find it cheaper than the original $650 price tag.  When the package is on sale, it's cheaper than getting the package elsewhere and buying th individual items that only Macys has (like platters and serving plates and such). Your guests will be thrifty, and they will buy things on sale.

dianegeiger

I don't know... I get what some people are saying here regarding the advantages of a Macy's purchase (returns if something's broken, and Macy's sale cycles).

But if the price is significantly lower at Amazon, then it seems foolish and wasteful to overspend on this item needlessly.  I don't know.  I guess I'd keep this OFF the registry, and then just BUY the china myself from Amazon after the wedding with some of the cash that we KNOW many guests will give as their gift.  

Just my 2 cents regarding the dollars and cents...

soconfusedkutie

Try looking into bed bath & beyond for your china pattern ... I registered for mine at macys and then noticed that bed bath & beyond had it for almost half the price.  So right now it is on both and i'm just keeping an eye on both for updates to the other.  You never know who will have coupons for what store.  

sweetblueyes316

I would put one on the macy's registry that is in the right price point then if someone buys it for you, return it and buy the one you want on amazon. It's not about what the person gives but that they are giving. 

Mell and Rob

first of all, this is not a selfish question at all.... most of us "dream" of our pretty fine china when our moms take it out as girls.... second a lot of people wrote if you can find the same thing cheaper register there, but if you know the people who would buy it for you absolutely will not go online to buy it, and it's something you really want then go with a store people can go too... plus if they go to the store and it's to expensive there the people buying you're gifts might write down what you want on paper and go to another store they know has it and for less, and register flatware vases etc... to match, for the people who want to get you what you want but can't afford the place settings and tell you're brides maids parents etc.. that you really want the china if nothing else and if they are smart they will pass the "word" on..... good luck!!

aljackson1026

I think most people prefer to have gifts shipped directly too them rather than lugging a bunch of loot from the wedding.  I'd go Amazon.

GiabellaS

Here's the thing. If you register only at Amazon...you are definitely limiting the amount of people who will see the list. HOWEVER, if the people who you expect would be likely to buy you the china are more internet-saavy than you think, they can consult the Macy's list and if they find the exact thing elsewhere (say maybe, Amazon) for a cheaper price, they might choose to get it there instead. 

For instance, my friend registered for specific Kitchen Aid, and then some family friends found it for cheaper at another store...so, they told my friend that they had found it for a better price and then my friend removed it from the list. Easy and simple. 

angsmith505

I would also go with Macy's, do you want to run the risk of the China coming broken?  I use to buy from Amazon a lot but my last two orderes never arrived so I had to get my money back!

kendra_jameson

Why don't you go ahead and list it at Macy's.  Then if you get it, take it back, the the cash/gift card and get something else you want or didn't get off your registry or use that cash to buy the china from Amazon?  Just a suggestion.  If you end up getting the same thing, no one would be the wiser.

penad5

I'd just go with Macy's.  I had the same problem - but here in Canada it's Sears that is basically the only place you can register and they're twice as expensive as anywhere else most of the time. 
I didn't even want to do a registry - but many of my older guests insisted, so i just hope that they know me well enought to know that if i register for a 200 dollar toaster oven (or in your case china) - it's just that i want a toster oven just not nesessarily a 200 dollar one.  I also told my parents to tell anyone who asked that i registed there so people would know what we would like/need but feel free to buy from anywhere for those reasons
And as you said if you don't get the style you want you can always return it and get something else

hh581842

look and see if they have it at Bed Bath and Beyond! They carrie a lot of the same stuff as Macy's for less. Then you could register at a real store AND save your guests money on the china.

marybethbrosseau

How fortunate you are that you will get fine China.  You can indicate that your China is at both Maacy's & Amazon.com.  The older guests won't care if they don't normally shop on-line.  However, if your pattern gets discontinued before your wedding, or you change your mind about the pattern, I doubt Macy's will take back china purchased from Amazon.  And making returns on-line is not always easy, expecially if it is fragile and heavy.  (There are extra postage charges for special handling.)

jpeery

I would just register at Macy's.  I was in the same boat with my china at Belk and I really didn't think anyone would get any of it for us because it was pricey.  I definitely have been surprised at how many people got us some.  The nice thing about china is that you can register for whole place settings and people who feel they can afford it can get it for you.  However, you can also register for each individual piece of the place setting so that people can just buy you a dinner plate, for example.  Usually pieces are a lot more reasonable individually.  But it's definitely something that I think you should register for in a store because, for a lot of the older generation, china is the most appropriate wedding gift and they are far more likely to shop in person instead of online.

RobandDana

Selfish Selfish Selfish - What the hell do you need china for?

obi_wan_quixote

We started our registry at Macy's but moved everything over to BBB in less than a week.  Liked their selection, prices, and policies better.  BBB also allows returns for cash instead of just gift cards, and since they have multiple options for everything, you can find something that you feel is the best bargin in terms of price and quality.

kinseyb89

You could opt out of china, and get something less fancy. My fiance and I decided that we didn't want as much stuff to move around, and realistically we would never use it, except MAYBE once a year. Of course, this all depends on how traditional you want to be with your wedding registry and whether you think you'll really use the fancy stuff. If you won't, then I would say don't even bother.

Christine Grant

Go to www.myregistry.com - it is awesome! You can import any item from any website into one central registry. It doesnt exactly solve your problem re some of your guests not using the web, but at least you are not limited to one or two stores.