Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra recently partnered with e-commerce platform Amazon.com to build a wedding registry which lists all items she would like people to gift her for the wedding. Chopra’s registry includes products as basic as a bedsheet set, dinner plates, a raincoat for her pet dog and some fancy options such as an OLED TV, a bar cart with champaign saucers, and a professional smoothie blender.
While this may seem odd or acquisitive to the traditional Indian way of thinking about gifting, it does make sense because most guests don’t like walking in empty-handed for ceremonies or parties but a lot of times have no idea about what could be useful for the recipient. Gifts that are of little or no use add to the recipients’ burden, making them pass on the gifts or not use them at all.
Though gift registries are common in the US and the UK, the trend is gradually picking pace in India as well with companies such as The Yellow Door Store, Zibonga and the Weddingwishlist.com offering gift registry options for various occasions. Indians can avail the facility at Amazon.com, though it’s not yet available on the Indian chapter of the e-commerce company.
While gift cards have become a go-to among the urban masses, they are still quite impersonal and here’s where picking an item from the recipient’s registry can come to your rescue.
How it works
If you are getting engaged or married or have a baby shower but don’t want your guests to gift you things you wouldn’t be able to use, creating a gift registry on one of the websites or retail outlets offering the facility is a good option.
Make sure you take a close look at the products the company offers and whether all that you require is available because your registry can only list items which the company sells. For example, if you share a wedding registry through Amazon.com, you will be able to include items that are available on Amazon’s website only. It is advisable to register at least three to four months ahead of the occasion so your guests get enough time to pick the product they would like to gift you and for you to add or remove anything from the list.
Once you have completed the registration process, a unique ID is generated which you can share with your friends and family. They can then login and see what you’ve requested for and gift you according to their budget and preference and make the payment online. You could also have multiple registries across different websites to give your guests more choice of products.
You may wonder what happens if two people pick the same item from the registry. This usually does not happen because once you have made a purchase, the item is taken off the list unless the recipient has requested for multiple items of the same kind. Some registries also allow you to reserve products for a certain period of time until you’ve made up your mind.
The benefits
Gifting typically involves spending a large sum of money. While you’re at it, it makes sense to ensure that the gifts you’re presenting add value to the recipient, instead of just lying in their storehouse. If you’re planning to move into a new house after your wedding and list relevant products in your registry, it can help you save the cost of doing up the house.
Registries also allow you to break down products to make them more affordable for your guests. Also, a gift registry lessens the burden of going around and looking for the right item and making sure the recipient likes it.
Most companies also allow the registry owner to return a product in case it doesn’t fit well or match their expectations. However, the return and exchange policies vary from company to company.