Baby showers aren't new, but baby registries haven't always been a big thing. We can credit millennials with making a baby registry a standard part of the new-parent, new-baby experience-an easy way for folks to let family and friends know what they most want and need for their own growing family.
What is new is the universal registry, a gifting concept perfected and popularized by MyRegistry.com.
So What Is a Universal Baby Registry?
A Universal Baby Registry lets new parents ask for exactly what they want-no limits-because they can add any item from any store in the world. Really! And that includes both online and brick-and-mortar.
But that's not all:
Multiple registries from popular stores-think Target, Amazon, buybuy Baby-can be synced onto that same list. Then gifts can be added from retailers that don't offer their own registries, including local boutiques and specialty stores. Parents can even include service-oriented gifts, like babysitting or cloth diaper delivery. The alternatives are endless!
And Cash Gift Funds-a totally acceptable way to ask for money nowadays-sit alongside traditional gifts on the registry to gather donations for ongoing needs like diapers, bigger expenses like a new nursery, even a college fund.
So "universal" greatly opens up the options, making it easy and intuitive for parents to include everything on one list, then manage it all in one place. Friends and family benefit too, by having a single, shoppable destination where they can pick a gift they know will be welcomed with open arms (just like that new baby).
How Does It Work?
On MyRegistry.com parents have the freedom to choose any item, from anywhere, while the user-friendly platform lets them add gifts to a baby registry in three ways:
Add to MyRegistry.com Button: Our browser extension button allows parents to browse online, and when they find something they want, they click. Easy as that, the gift is added to the registry.
MyRegistry.com App: Barcode-scanning technology lets parents shopping in a physical store add any item to their registry via smartphone.
Simple Syncing: Existing gift lists with every major retailer can be synced to display on a MyRegistry list. Bonus: When store registries are aggregated this way, parents receive the benefits of a universal registry and retain the perks of each individual store registry.
Showered with Gifts
Newborn babies need a surprising amount of stuff. And most first-time parents create a registry to help them stock up on the clothing, gear, nursery furnishings, and other items needed to make their homes and lives baby ready.
As social distancing has forced many expecting families to cancel baby showers, virtual showers have become the new thing. It's all the more convenient then, that a universal gift registry can be completed entirely online, from the comfort (and safety) of home, with parents including specialty items to make their virtual event a success.
First-time moms who are not sure what to add to a baby registry can see the most popular baby gifts other parents have added to their lists, taking inspiration from hundreds of thousands of MyRegistry customers.
Once a universal registry has been created, it can easily be shared with friends and family via a customized URL.
