[UPDATED 12 FEB 2020]
Attending a baby shower, or planning for one? Baby showers are a great way to celebrate the upcoming arrival of a little one and are the perfect opportunity for close friends and family to show their support and blessing by gifting.
Most people, however, if they are not parents themselves, will find it difficult to find a good present – one that is actually useful to the new parents and will make their transition into parenthood slightly easier.
If you are the expecting parent, baby gift registries are a great way to be straightforward with your guests about what you would like to receive, so they don’t need to play guessing games, and you avoid unnecessary gift returns. Win-win!
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How does a baby gift registry work?
Much like a wedding registry, a baby registry is essentially an online “shopping list” that expectant parents put together for the needs of their new baby.
Many baby shops have their own gift registries, so you can add products from their range onto your list. Friends and family will then be able to purchase directly from the shop itself.
For ideas on what to include in your baby registry, see: 10 Best Baby Gifts For First Time Parents
However, the downside of this is that you become limited to whatever that particular store has to offer. Granted, most major baby shops like the Baby Bunting gift registry will have everything you need, but you won’t be able to compare costs and choose product brands freely across different merchants.
Why Amazon is the best baby registry in Australia
Comparing Amazon AU’s baby registry to others available in Australia – such as Baby & Toddler Town and Baby Kingdom – there are a few unique offerings by Amazon that set it apart:
1. Get 10-15% completion discount
Now this is a big one! For any items on your registry that are leftover, i.e. no one has purchased it, you get a 10% discount if you purchase them yourself. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you get 15% discount.
(More info on the completion discount available here.)
2. $15 off for orders over $59
If you choose to purchase items on your own baby wishlist, you get a $15 discount off your cart total if it’s above $59. This is different from the time-restricted 10% discount mentioned above, as it can be redeemed anytime.
See more details on this offer >>
3. Free 30 days return
Most other stores only offer a 14 days return policy, which is really short because parents are often overwhelmed in the first few weeks of newborn life, so they might not have time to check their baby gifts.
4. A wide selection of products
Amazon AU offers products from both local and overseas brands, so it has the biggest selection available. You can add any item to your baby registry, even non-baby items!
5. Free shipping
You get fast and free delivery with orders over $49, which isn’t too difficult with baby products. A one month supply of Huggies newborn nappies is already $49.98.
I wish I knew about baby registries when I was pregnant with my first two, but now that I am expecting our third baby, I was absolutely thrilled to see that Amazon AU now has a baby registry available!
So even though I don’t need one (and I don’t intend to send it to friends and family), I created a baby registry with Amazon anyway, just to test out what they offer. Below is a walkthrough of the setup, and my review of the entire experience.
See also: Best Value Nursery Furniture Packages in Australia
How to use Amazon’s baby registry
Setting up a new gift registry
The set up for the registry is very simple and straightforward once you’ve signed up for a free Amazon account. I like that it gives you the option of making your wishlist “shared” or “private” so outsiders cannot just search and find your registry.
The gift card option is also handy if you want to give people the option of making a monetary contribution if they cannot afford any of the items on your list. Amazon offers a wide range of customisable gift cards that you can send in an email or print-at-home.
(They also have some beautifully designed printed gift cards that they will post to the recipient on your behalf.)
Registry Account Dashboard
Once created, the registry dashboard interface is fairly clean and easy to navigate. On the top you have key shortcuts like settings and sharing options, and on the right from the “Your Wishlist” dropdown you can access a lot more options.
The first option is the “Baby Wishlist Checklist”, which gives you a good starting point for the essentials you may want. In each category, Amazon will display its bestsellers to help you refine your choices.
If you need further inspiration, the “Ideas & Inspiration” section will bring up popular categories like baby monitors, car seats, and baby books if you want to start them young.
If you already know what you want, simply use the search bar to find what you’re looking for. ALL items on Amazon can be added to your baby registry, you’ll see the option to “Add to Baby Wishlist” in the pricing table next to the product description.
Once your registry is ready, you can then share it with friends and family using a link, or on social networks.
I love that under your registry settings, you can add a personalised greeting message for your visitors when they go to your registry page. It really adds a much needed warm touch to the online gifting experience.
(Apparently, there is also an option for you to send thank-you messages to those who have purchased and/or contributed towards your registry. However, since I haven’t shared my list and no one has bought anything, this option wasn’t activated for me yet.)
How to find someone’s Amazon baby registry
Searching for a baby registry is very easy. Head on over to the Amazon baby registry homepage and simply type in the name of the registrant. You can search by first name, last name, or full name.
Either option will pull up a list of available gift registries and you just have to scroll through to find the one you’re looking for.
NOTE: If the registrant has set her registry status as “private”, you will not be able to find it using the search tool. You will only be able to assess the registry through a private link provided by the registrant herself.
Bring a gift when visiting a new baby and mum
Gifts are not necessary, but it’s a show of affection and support for a new mum and her baby. Using a baby registry ensures that visitors make the best purchase decisions that suit their budget and also the needs of the new parents.
Overall, I love the personal touch that Amazon offers, from the 10% discount to 30 days return policy, because it goes to show how much they understand their customers and what mums really need.
Getting started with the Amazon Baby Registry is free and an easy way to take the stress out of a baby shower, so guests and parents can enjoy and celebrate what truly matters – the birth of a tiny new life.
Have you tried any other baby gift registries? Are there any that you would personally recommend? Let me know in the comments below, I would love to know what worked for you!