Best Stores to Register: Perks, Easy Returns, Freebies...

Knottie00164410 · July 2014

Hey ladies!

My fiance and I are getting ready to start our registry, and we aren't 100% sure where is best. We want something affordable for our families, something that offers easy returns in case we change our minds, and any extra added freebies and perks are always a bonus! Any input you might have would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

AprilH81 · July 2014

I had an excellent experience with Macy's (great perks) and Crate & Barrel.

audubonbride2013 · July 2014

I agree with Macy's. If you have their credit card, you will get a gift card for 5% of everything your guests bought from your registry plus 10% of any purchases you made during the time between when you register and your wedding. BBB was great with returns but their completion is only 10%. The did host a completion event where the discount was 20% for a few hours and they had giveaways and snacks. We got our vacuum then and also won a free vase during the giveaways.

[Deleted User] · July 2014

Crate & Barrel is a good option. Additionally, Pottery Barn has a 10% completion discount for items that weren't purchased from the registry.

photokitty · July 2014

Macy's is IMHO by far the best. BBB is also great.

Target and Kohl's are less than stellar IMHO...

annathy03 · July 2014

Macy's and Williams-Sonoma were both really good, I was able to exchange broken china at Macy's and a duplicate gift at WS with no problems and the completion discount (15% at Macy's, 10% at WS) was good. Macy's was best rewards wise overall if you have their CC but I love WS goldtouch bakeware and they had a lower free shipping minimum for our guests. We also used Target and I was less than impressed- the completion discount is one time and you have to remember the coupon they send you for it in the mail, I didn't need to return/exchange anything there so not sure on that.

WS in store let me combine my registry discount with coupons I got and with whatever sale they had going on (i.e. over the 4th of July all made in the USA stuff was 20% off), whereas Macy's 15% is the best you'll get on electrics, but it seems like they always have at least 10% off anyways and you can't combine. Both have manufacturer sponsored completion gift programs.

theartistformerlyknownas · July 2014

Macy's has been my favorite so far, and the most-used so far. The rewards, app and website are all awesome - I like that they have a Thank You manager, which Target doesn't have.

I haven't had any problems with the process at Target thus far, besides things CONSTANTLY going in and out of stock. I do like that the Target app works like a scanner to add things on the fly.

Williams-Sonoma - don't believe they have perks, do have an app-scanner and Thank You manager, only registered there because I wanted some of their exclusive brands.

chibiyui · July 2014

Crate and barrel was great, easy and has a mother fucking app that actually works for registry management.

Target was a pain in the ass.

labro · July 2014

Williams-Sonoma does have perks as far as manufacturer sponsored ones. Like, you get a free blah blah blah if you register for so many dollars worth of All-Clad and all you need to do is mail in a form and a copy of your registry to get the free gift. The perks get better if a certain dollar percentage is completed. Like AllClad or Shun or something will give you a nicer free gift if guests purchase a certain dollar amount of Shun/AllClad/whatever product off of your registry. I registered at Macy's, Pottery Barn, and WS and so far I've been happy with all three, although I've only received a couple of gifts so far so I can't really speak to ease of returns or anything since I haven't needed to return anything yet.

theartistformerlyknownas · July 2014

LaPeanut1018 said:

Williams-Sonoma does have perks as far as manufacturer sponsored ones. Like, you get a free blah blah blah if you register for so many dollars worth of All-Clad and all you need to do is mail in a form and a copy of your registry to get the free gift. The perks get better if a certain dollar percentage is completed. Like AllClad or Shun or something will give you a nicer free gift if guests purchase a certain dollar amount of Shun/AllClad/whatever product off of your registry. I registered at Macy's, Pottery Barn, and WS and so far I've been happy with all three, although I've only received a couple of gifts so far so I can't really speak to ease of returns or anything since I haven't needed to return anything yet.

Ooh yes I did get a free knife and apron from Wusthof at W-S! I think they offer the same completion perk everywhere they're sold though.

annathy03 · July 2014

lolo883 said:

LaPeanut1018 said:

Williams-Sonoma does have perks as far as manufacturer sponsored ones. Like, you get a free blah blah blah if you register for so many dollars worth of All-Clad and all you need to do is mail in a form and a copy of your registry to get the free gift. The perks get better if a certain dollar percentage is completed. Like AllClad or Shun or something will give you a nicer free gift if guests purchase a certain dollar amount of Shun/AllClad/whatever product off of your registry. I registered at Macy's, Pottery Barn, and WS and so far I've been happy with all three, although I've only received a couple of gifts so far so I can't really speak to ease of returns or anything since I haven't needed to return anything yet.

Ooh yes I did get a free knife and apron from Wusthof at W-S! I think they offer the same completion perk everywhere they're sold though.

I think they're usually similar, but can be different if WS has an exclusive product. For example, Calphalon cookware has a gift if you recieve $500 of stuff off your registry from them, and at WS it's a unison piece and an elite piece. It's different at Macy's since only WS carries the elite line, only their registry gift includes it.

bananasplit472001 · July 2014

Macy's!! Easy returns, available to purchase online or in store, wide selection of cheaper things to very expensive, good quality products, discounts and sales are every week, bride and groom get a percentage of all gifts purchased on a gift card after their wedding to use at Macy's

CnJ2014 · July 2014

We registered at Bed Bath and Beyond and Macy's. Personally, I liked BBB better, they were so super friendly and helpful when I was registering, more so than Macy's. Also, I couldn't help but think of it from the guests' perspective (I'm a bargain shopper), BBB's prices are better than Macy's - even when items go on sale at Macy's, they usually only get as low as to match BBB's prices. And BBB has those great 20% off coupons! My BBB registry ended up being twice the size of my Macy's registry because I couldn't justify registering for the same item at a more expensive store. Returns were also super easy at BBB, I just told them my name, they looked me up and returned the item without a receipt no problem. My friend who got married around the same time as me got duplicates from her Macy's registry, she tried to return one without a receipt and they could only give her the lowest sale price - $5 for an item that is $30 and I've seen on sale for $17. She was furious and didn't end up returning it. Macy's was fine, I'm glad i registered at both because some people simply like shopping at Macy's better. But if I could only choose one I would definitely choose BBB.

ladybird29 · August 2014

Please no judging, but we actually registered at 4 places only because our guest list was spread all over the place.... that and there were just a few things we wanted that were only available at Williams Sonoma - like their gold touch bakeware, certain Emile Henry baking dishes, and an exclusive Le Creuset color...I know, we're ridiculous. Anyway, our four stores were Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, and Amazon.

Out of those four, C&B and surprisingly Amazon have been the most popular. They are almost completely bought out. Pottery Barn is a close third and WS is about half gone. I'd have to say I like C&B the best in terms of customer service, website, ease of use, and quality of product. PB has been a nightmare due to things not being marked off (parts of a gift purchase will get marked as complete while others don't = duplicates), crazy out of control shipping rates (20% of the order total on purchases over $200 to ship is insane) and things being added to the registry from pottery barn kids like a crib and bumpers. (YES, that's what I want on there - A CRIB). It took a long time to get that crap off. Customer service actually suggested that perhaps it was an angry ex-girlfriend of my fiance's that was sabotaging our registry. Let's say that were true (which it isn't because I mean come on), how is it even possible to add items from a completely different store?

TL;DR: Crate&Barrel is great. Amazon is good for those random things like tools, luggage, travel guides, board games, etc. WS is good for those specialty items and PB should be avoided.

holyguacamole79 · August 2014

I'm a BBB loyalist.

drina0218 · August 2014

Macy's so far been pretty great with us. We had our shower yesterday and have a small pile or duplicates to return and from what I hear they are very, very accommodating with returns.

We also registered at Sur La Table. Those employees KNOW their stuff. They walked us around the store explaining all of the products and tips/tricks for registering. My friend told me that when she walked in to get us our wok they were really helpful and suggested to add sesame oil and wooden utensils to "cuten " up the gift. I was really impressed with the way it looked at the shower and she said they were just amazing with her the entire time. They do the 10% completion too I believe.

Best Stores to Register: Perks, Easy Returns, Freebies...

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