I am expecting my 3rd child any day now and in honor of this upcoming birth, I have teamed up with Buddy Doo's Adventure-Roos & Little Angel on a Mission to feature some of our absolute must-have baby/mama items and advice!
Day Two Features
Fan Favorites: Places to Register for a Baby!
We polled fans across several blogger/mommy groups and came up with the top 5 places that expecting parents register for their little ones!
1. Target: This was the top response among the fans. They just loved that nearly everyone they know has a location near them and their registry items are easy to find and purchase. Fans also appreciate that you can add items by going into the store and using that fun "gun" to scan items to the registry, but can also add & remove items, as well as monitor purchases via the Target.com registry website. The only complain that a few fans had was that sometimes items go out of stock or are discontinued before their shower and that Target has a bit of reputation for not updating registry purchases fast enough, allowing for duplicates to unknowingly be purchased. However, they do allow fast and easy returns of duplicates that were purchased for a registry!
2. Walmart: Like Target, fans really appreciate the ease of finding a location to purchase and register for items. Walmart also features the two method approach, which includes that really fun scanner "gun" in-store, as well as the remote capabilities to manage the registry online. Fans did not complain about issues with duplicates being purchased as frequently, but did mention that returns can be a bit more difficult, depending on the location. One of the biggest driving forces for people using Walmart to register for their baby is that there is a cost-savings for them and their guests as they offer store and name-brand items at reduced pricing, as well as offer free ship-to-store, allowing guests to order online only items and ship them free for store pickup.
3. Babies R' Us: As we all know, this is one of those stores that specializes in everything B-A-B-Y! While many fans registered for easy to find and everyday baby items at the two previous places, they likely also registered here. The reasons given were that while other stores offered great prices, this store is known for selection. From the more economical baby items to the top of the line products, this store covers most of them. Just like the previous two places, they feature an in-store fun "gun" scanning experience & an online portal for managing the registry. One of the favorite things that fan's loved about this store is that you can easily touch/feel/tryout many of the larger baby items. They even allow you to take the carseats out of the store and try them out in your car to find the perfect fit. Complaints? Well, some fans don't like that some items are a higher-price here than at bigger box stores and that there aren't as many readily available locations for their shower guests/gift-givers to shop at. However, fans just love that they get a gift bag with fun goodies upon signing up for the registry, as well as the rewards system for shopping here and 20% or $10 off coupons received in the mail. Looking for a bigger organic/chemical free baby product selection, this store is likely to hold more of a selection than "big box" stores.
4. Buy Buy Baby: This store's name speaks for itself! A "sister" store to Bed, Bath & Beyond, this store specializes in everything baby as well! Just as with the previous 3 places, this store has the fun "gun" scanning experience and online registry management interface. Fans really love this store because it has such a huge selection of baby items. What sets it apart from competitors is that it often features items that are loved by parents, but still new to the marketplace. Another favorite feature is the awesome 20% off coupons you will receive in the mail and the fun registry goodie bag! Complaints? Well, as with similar stores, this ones has fewer locations for people to purchase your registry gifts locally and will likely require guests to purchase online more of the time than a big box store. However, if you are looking for more of an organic/chemical-free/green baby product selection, this is the place you want to visit.
5. Amazon.com: Unlike any of the other places listed, this one is strictly online only. Reasons that fans love it? Well, it's just plain easy and the selection is enormous! Plus, as a parent you just love to see what other parents/caregivers have thought of a product and this is the place for reviews! You can easily search for products you want and browse a vast selection of almost anything baby. This site is really great if you have family spread all over the country who want to send you gifts. They even offer free shipping on qualifying purchases of $25+ Complaints? Item prices can change drastically quickly or items that you add might become "unavailable" on your registry even though they are still available on Amazon. The reason that Amazon can often offer items at a discount is that they are always locating the best deal on a product, which can mean switching the distributor frequently. Personally, I also love this site for managing all of our family's Wish Lists for Christmas and Birthdays! Plus, once that little one arrives, make sure you join Amazon Mom and get a discount on diapers and wipes!
Have another place that you love to register? Feel free to comment below letting us know where and why!
Special thanks to the following bloggers/mommy groups and their fans: Were Parents!?, Mommyhood, Savy Mommy Moments, Buddy-Doo's Adventure-Roos & Little Angel on a Mission
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