12 Tips to Get People to Buy Gifts from your Baby Registry
I recently made a TikTok suggesting that if you want to get expecting parents gifts for their Baby Shower, then use the registry! It seemed to hit home for a lot of parents. Many said they got a ton of clothes, stuffed animals, baby blankets, and not any of the “practical” stuff they really need. I was shocked at how many comments mentioned not getting ANYTHING off their registry. I went to a Baby Shower yesterday for one of my clients, and because I helped her create her registry, I knew exactly which items were not from the registry (this job certainly makes baby showers more entertaining). I had to watch her put on a fake smile as she received a bright leopard print outfit that said “Daddy’s little girl” when her personal style is clearly boho-chic and has more natural tones/colors. As sweet as the gift was, I knew that outfit will probably never be worn by her baby unless she feels obligated to take her picture in it to send to the gift giver.
Ultimately, I don’t want any parents to feel obligated to do things like that. My job is to help expecting parents transition confidently to new parents as best as I can. So I set off to craft a list of tips to help parents get what they really need.
1 - Create an awesome baby registry
Check out my article on How to Build the Perfect Baby Registry to get started. Use a registry site like Babylist or Amazon. Be sure to keep it organized and simple and avoid adding duplicates.
2 - Share the Link & QR Code
This may seem obvious, but sometimes I actually receive a baby shower invitation or pregnancy announcement without a link to the registry. Make sure the entire link to the registry is listed clearly and visibly on the front and back of any invitations that go out either printed or online. If you are using Babylist, be sure to change the URL link to something easy to type in. If the URL is babylist.com/23op 5iuh34tp98v versus babylist.com/thebabyplanner you can see how it will help drive people to the right location.
You can also create a QR Code and add it to your baby shower invitation!
3 - Say it Clearly
Also, consider adding one of the statements below by the link to your registry on the invitation to politely but clearly ask people to buy from your registry.
“Please consider showering the mother-to-be with a gift from her specially curated registry”
“If you’d prefer to buy an off-registry gift, please consider diapers, wipes, or a gift card to Target”
“The parents-to-be have been gifted a lot of hand-me-downs from family and friends, kindly consider buying from the registry so they aren’t left with duplicates.”
Or may even write a cute little poem for the back to encourage guests to visit the registry.
4 - Get Help
I’ve heard people say things like, “I didn’t buy from their registry because it sucked,” or “I could tell they had no idea what they needed, so I bought them something else.” Avoid this by getting your friends and family involved! Have the other parents you know look over your registry and help you create it. That way, they will be invested and are more likely to get something from your registry.
If you don’t have anyone in your life, you can trust to help, or if you feel like you may be unsure about what to put on your registry, then please reach out to me for a baby registry review or to build and manage your whole registry for you!
5 - Include Price Variety
Make sure there are plenty of items under $25 and under $50 so everyone can easily afford something. If you add diapers and wipes, consider smaller packs so people can easily purchase and include multiple sizes N, 1, and 2. Things like diaper cream, medicine, etc can all be under $25 and are much needed. Baby clothes like zipper footie PJs, bibs, burp cloths, and books are cute things that people like to gift and are usually in a lower price range.
6 - Tag Bigger Items as Group Gifts
Babylist has a great feature where you can tag an item as a group gift, meaning someone can contribute a cash amount towards a larger gift. You’ll end up getting this in the form of a gift card you can use toward any baby item. This helps you get those bigger, more expensive items without having to feel bad about asking someone to spend a lot of money.
7 - Tag the “Must-Haves”
Babylist also has a feature that allows you to flag an item as a “must-have.” Do this for the items you KNOW you will need and use often so that people can choose from those first. If you tag everything as a must-have, then it defeats the purpose, so stick with only about 5-10 things that are important to you.
8 - Include the “Fun” Stuff
Everyone wants to be the person who buys the cutest gift at the shower. Many people subconsciously want to be seen as the best or most creative gift-giver. People will naturally gravitate towards buying the “fun” stuff first. So be sure to add plenty of affordable toys, books, blankets, cute outfits, etc. It will make it easier for people to pair a “cute” thing with a practical thing, and you will be more likely to get what you need!
9 - Include Undercover “Cash” Gifts
Babylist has ANOTHER cool feature where you can create “cash” categories. These cash categories help people think they are buying you things, like a date night meal or diapers/wipes when you receive it as cash and use it for whatever you need most. Here are ideas for cash categories you can add:
Diaper and Wipe Fund
Babysitting or Parents Night Out Fund
529 College Fund
Book Fund
Grocery Delivery Fund
Meal Delivery Fund
Parental Leave Fund
Doula Fund
Adoption fund
10 - Brag About it
Tell everyone you know how proud you are of your registry, how much time you spent on it, and how much you hope people will buy from it. This will help to drive people to the registry and help them understand how important it is to you to get those necessities.
11 - Add The Baby Planner Tag
If you purchase any of The Baby Planner registry services, you can add one of the following tags (or one of your creation) to your registry and baby shower invites to help people become more interested in your registry and know it’s exactly what you need since an expert helped to craft it!
“Registry curated with The Baby Planner”
“This registry was thoughtfully developed/assessed/built by The Baby Planner”
“Everything the parents-to-be need is on our baby registry, thanks to The Baby Planner”
12 - Share your Nursery Design
If you’ve purchased The Baby Planner’s nursery design services, you will be given a beautiful mood board. Sharing this mood board across your social media platforms or directly with friends and family will help people understand your style - so if they do go “off-registry” you may be more likely to get something you like. It can also help them to see how well you’ve planned for your baby and they may respect your curated registry list more!
Don’t forget to say Thank You!
Ultimately, most people have the best intentions with any gift they are giving. It’s not worth getting angry or losing close family or friendships over a thoughtful gift. You will need as much support over the next few months as possible. So don’t forget to smile and say thank you, even if a gift is not something you’ve asked for.
VIDEO BONUS: How to purchase a gift from a baby list baby registry
Share this YouTube video below with anyone you think may need a little extra guidance navigating and purchasing gifts from babylist. This includes a quick overview of what babylist is as well as step-by-step instructions on how to purchase gifts on a desktop browser as well as a phone.
