NEED SERIOUS ADVICE

danilinsday · June 2012

I did not think registering was going to be difficult at all, but there are a ridiculous amoutn of options. I dont want to think anymore. So I am asking that everyone else decide for me. Please pick your Top 3: Williams Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Macy's, or Kohl's. Thanks for any input!

ElisabethJoanne · June 2012

Macy's
Williams Sonoma
Crate & Barrel

I don't like shopping at the other 2

MrsKigerToBe · June 2012

Macy's

Bed Bath and Beyond

Kohls

Williams Sonoma

I won't go to crate and barrel because of where its located in my state, but obviously thats very personal preference.

LeiselEB · June 2012

Crate & Barrel: fantastic, easy to use website for registries, everything is shipped/packaged very well (I kept most gifts sent to us in the shipping boxes for when we move)

Williams Sonoma: great products

Macy's: enough locations that most guests would have access

AdeleDazeem · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_need-serious-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:0a7f9501-d2b4-42ec-a672-ac5edfc1cee1Post:3dc61bc8-bc25-46d1-9076-74d5461b4341">NEED SERIOUS ADVICE</a>:
[QUOTE]I did not think registering was going to be difficult at all, but there are a ridiculous amoutn of options. I dont want to think anymore. So I am asking that everyone else decide for me. Please pick your Top 3: Williams Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Macy's, or Kohl's. Thanks for any input!
Posted by danilinsday[/QUOTE]

Bed, Bath and Beyond

I don't have an opinion on Macys or Kohls.

I tend to find Williams Sonoma and Crate & Barrel overpriced. I also think the quality you get, especially at William Sonoma, isn't what you pay for.

jagore08 · June 2012

BB&B, C&B, WS

morenachica110 · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_need-serious-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:0a7f9501-d2b4-42ec-a672-ac5edfc1cee1Post:dcd9e699-2eba-4f18-a9b0-a684aa14a3bc">Re: NEED SERIOUS ADVICE</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to NEED SERIOUS ADVICE : Bed, Bath and Beyond I don't have an opinion on Macys or Kohls. I tend to find Williams Sonoma and Crate & Barrel overpriced. I also think the quality you get, especially at William Sonoma, isn't what you pay for.
Posted by Joy2611[/QUOTE]

<div>Exactly this.</div>

amymaysa · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_need-serious-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:0a7f9501-d2b4-42ec-a672-ac5edfc1cee1Post:b16668ea-3510-4986-a8bd-b319807e6d8f">Re: NEED SERIOUS ADVICE</a>:
[QUOTE]Crate & Barrel: fantastic, easy to use website for registries, everything is shipped/packaged very well (I kept most gifts sent to us in the shipping boxes for when we move) Williams Sonoma: great products Macy's: enough locations that most guests would have access
Posted by LeiselEB[/QUOTE]

This!

BTCarolus · June 2012

First, in answer to your question: We are doing C&B for our kitchen goods, and JCPenney for our linens like towels and sheets, but we would have gone with Macy's. C&B is great for kitchen stuff, it is roughly equivalently priced with other stores. Their linens are ridiculously expensive, though (at least, IMHO). The big plus for them is that their registry is basically the most well-maintained in the business, with the least annoying glitches and best customer service. I tried Macy's, and I would have gone with it for linens, except the way their website is set up drove me bonkers, and I had to do the whole thing online, so JCPenney was just better for that. I personally don't like when brides register at target/kohl's/walmart just because very often the quality feels quite low to me. I'd rather buy them something a little pricier that feels like it will last, rather than get the lowest price on something that is going to fall apart.

Second, when choosing a place to register at, you need to do more than just decide on the store. Instead, think of it in the old way of "choosing your patterns." I'd go in to several stores in order to see what the flatware and dishware/china options are. The reason you want to do this is so that you can test out how the things feel and how they really look in person (not in pictures). You don't want to trap yourself into four flatware choices, none of which you actually like very much, just because some people on the internet told you one store is particularly good. Remember, ideally you'll have your dishes and flatware for your entire life. Get something that you like and that feels good in your hands. Second, you need to decide which sheets and towels you want. This should be done in person, too, if it can be. Make sure they feel good, and like they're going to stand up to repeated use.

Other things typically on the regisry, like appliances, pots and pans, etc., are generally pretty even across stores. The Kitchenaid stand mixer at C&B is identical to the one at BB&B. Same with the major pot and pan manufacturers and the cutlery. And they all have a wide offering of things like cutting boards, kitchen utensiles, bakeware, etc. So wherever you choose based on which flatware, dishes, and towels you like should offer you good options for everything else.

hoffse · June 2012

Macys, C&B, WS

As you can see, it differs for everybody. Choose based on a couple of things, if they all have options you like. First, which stores are located near large pockets of guests? If nobody lives near a CB, you won't get anything from there from the people who like to shop in store.

Second, if you still need to narrow it down further, I'd go based on the best completion discounts/registry promos. For me, Macy's has the best because I have a Macy's credit card - they will give me 10% back on everything I buy until the wedding and 5% back on everything guests buy in gift-card format, and most jewelry is not excluded (so I'm buying FI a watch from there for our wedding). Then they give you a 10% completion discount for what is left on your registry on top of it. Kohl's gives you a 15% completion discount, but only for what is on your registry. BBB gives you 10% for what is left on your registry, which is useless because they have those 20% coupons all the time. WS and CB give you 10%, but it's off the entire store - so if there is a piece of furniture or something that you were eyeing at CB but didn't want to look bad by listing it because it's thousands of dollars, you can still get the discount for it there.

To me, the discount off the entire store is worth more than 15% off at Kohl's. So that's why I listed them the way I did. That and just a head's up: Kohl's registries look really outdated online. It's silly, but that sort of thing bugs me. Their non-sale prices are also higher than any other store you listed (especially for electronics) - and not all your guests will have a Kohl's card to get the extra deals there.

cwaggoner07 · June 2012

We did BBB for most appliances and housewares, and C&B just for stoneware and silverware, and bedding. We were going to do bedding at BBB, but we couldn't find anyting we agreed on. It was nice have 2 to go back and forth and pick our favorites.

The only complaint I've heard about Macy's is that their stuff constantly goes on sale, goes off sale, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
I, too, think WS can be pretty overpriced.

hoffse · June 2012

Oh and I agree with BTCarolus - you should absolutely start with the store that has the dishes/flatware option you like the most. FI and I chose Macy's for that - BBB does carry some of our china, but they don't carry as many pieces as Macy's, and BBB doesn't carry it in-store at all while Macy's does. Plus it's super traditional to have a department store as one of your places, and Macy's is a place that a lot of people check. But if you love the dishes at CB you should register there regardless. And if you love the flatware at BBB and the crystal at Macy's then you should pick those three and branch out from there. I answered based on the assumption that they all carried patterns and things that you really really liked.

So I would pick first based on dishes - then look for flatware and drinkware - and finally bedding (Macy's hotel collection sheets are a dream). If you find them all at the same place, then I'd use another method to choose a couple of other places for variety.

MrsKathyC · June 2012

When I was registering, I found that Kohl's didn't have much to offer. We went with BB&B.

kmmssg · June 2012

Also, make sure you choose stores that your guests can afford. I also think that C&B and W&S are ridiculously overpriced. You are paying for their name. I just received a W&S gift card as a retirement gift. It will be the only time I shop there because I can buy equally good quality products elsewhere for FAR less money.

MissMillieFrank · June 2012

I ended up doing C&B, BBB and WS. I LOVE C&B - their website is incredibly easy to manage (and stalk!) and despite agreeing with PPs that their linens and furniture are insanely overpriced, I actually think their drinkware, dinnerware and flatware are rather reasonable. We did BBB for towels and linens, and its accessibility and affordability. I haven't had any bad experiences with them yet either.

WS was the first store that we registered at. However, after a few months of fiddling with the registries, almost EVERYTHING on our WS registry could be found for way cheaper at one of the other two stores. (For example: the exact same knife set was $150 less expensive at C&B than WS). Our WS one now only has about 15 items left on it, while C&B and BBB both have around 100.

Good luck!

Lang125 · June 2012

We are very happy with our choices at Macy's, Crate and Barrel, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond!

egm900 · June 2012

My entire family is big Macy's shoppers, the things do constantly go on and off sale, but if you know this and get their coupons, they are cheaper than BB&B prices with the 20% coupon.

I love WS, but FI and I are both big kitchen people, and we could not find the same selection of specialty items anywhere else. They are more expensive than other places for the most part, although their price for KitchenAid stand mixer attachments is lower than Macy's sales price (the attachments aren't on sale as frequently as other items at Macy's, like dishes). But a lot of stuff we put on there can only be found there or Sur La Table, which wasn't convenient to any guests and is the same price as WS.

BB&B is convenient to every single one of our guests, and in the case of FI's aunts and uncles, the only store that is really an option if they want to go in some place. A lot of the stuff carried there is also at Macy's, so we may end up switching stuff from here to Macy's since our Macy's registry is by far the most popular place our guests are going.

We've had gifts shippped from Macy's and BB&B, and they have had great packaging. A lot of them were delicate glassware, and we haven't had any broken or damaged pieces. I've ordered things from Crate and Barrel, and they were also packaged well, but there isn't a store within 5-6 hours of us.

aragx6 · June 2012

Crate and Barrel -- unlike others, for the quality I've found them very competitively priced. Most of the items are also available on Amazon and are rarely any cheaper, their customer service is great and they had everything we wanted. If we needed more bath or linens stuff we might have also registered at Macy's or BBB. I really dislike Kohl's. WS is great, but depending on your group you won't likely get a ton from there because of the prices and because they have fewer stores.

divinemsbee · June 2012

I didn't want to register at any store that most of my guests couldn't get to in brick-and-mortar form, which ruled out Macy's, C&B, Pottery Barn, Sur La Table, and a few other national chains. While we have people coming from all over the country, those stores do not exist in MS (really), so I wasn't going to make it where everyone had to buy online.

We're registered at BBB and Belk's, which is a regional department store chain. The majority of what's on the Belk list is our china, flatware, entertaining pieces, and crystal. I think they seem to be similar to Macy's in that they have tons of sales and coupons and almost everyone seems to have a card there they can use for further discount. The only thing that sucks about it is that we're going to have to go back to MS to use our completion discount. As far as BBB goes, that's almost all of our kitchen stuff and bedding.

frantastic12 · June 2012

BB&B
C&B
Macy's

I don't think Kohl's has a great variety, and I think I remember seeing a post about some problems with Kohl's registries on here before. WS is overpriced I think. C&B is overpriced for furniture, but their kitchen & dinnerware stuff is competitively priced (I agree with aragx--our cookware was the same price as Amazon), and their registry is so easy. Macy's is great for their sales and coupons, and BB&B is very accessible and has 20% off coupons all the time.

Take into account what is near your guests. We & probably 80% of our guest list have a C&B nearby, and probably 99% have a BB&B nearby, so we registered at those 2. If we had done a third, it would have been Macy's.

RebeccaB88 · June 2012

I will be doing WS, BB&B, and Amazon.

I like C&B, but there isn't one in our state, and I think that would be too inconvenient for guests. I don't like how the Macy's here are run, therefore, I rarely shop there. They're either too pushy, or you can't find help when you need it. I just don't like Kohl's, the store here is chronically understaffed and has a very poor selection of merchandise.

I love WS, but I will be selective about what I register for there. Some stuff will be just as good and less expensive at BB&B, but there are some specialty items that I can't get anywhere else.

We're doing Amazon for stuff we can't get at either of the above two places, some tools and outdoor stuff, and a few small electronics.

spartybride3 · June 2012

We did C&B, macys, & pottery barn.

C&B is not overpriced at all. Their kitchen utensils & appliances, etc are the same price as BBB & macys. I looked at WS, but felt that everything there was just the same as macys or C&B. I do not shop at kohls, so i would not register there myself. Macy's always has appliances and other stuff on sale. The only things on my registry that never go on sale are my crystal stemware pieces. All my gadgets, china, sheets, towels, etc are always on sale. Plus, they do the 1-day sales where your guests can get an additional X% off. I also like their rewards program, but you have to have a macys CC to get the extra $$ for your purchases. I put all of my kitchen applicances on my macys registry becuase they will go on sale there...at C&B and BBB they do not go on sale.

But, as people stated, go look around and see what store you like the most stuff in. There is not a right or wrong place to register.

AurorasEnvy · June 2012

I'm going to have to disagree with the overpriced/poor quality comment about C&B, I actually think that they quality is good for the reasonable price.

We registered at Macy's & C&B, both of which I love. We also registered at BB&B, which is fine but not my favorite, and we only registered there because there are no Macy's/C&B in H's hometown (and god forbid people shop online in 2012).

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