Where did you register--reviews of stores

[Amandine]

We are about to start the registry process, and I wondered where people have registered, and what they have to say about that store. I have heard mixed things about several stores, especially Target''s return policy.

So...
Did you like your store''s selection?
Were they easy to work with?
How easy were returns/exchanges?
Could you access your registrey online?
Could you change items or work with your registry online?
Is there bonus if you purchase items after your wedding, say, 10% off anything still on the registry?


So many questions, I know! But I would to start a registry and let my guests know, and find out later that the store was a total pain to work with. We thinking about Crate & Barrel, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Kohls.

Thanks!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

BB&B, C&B and Pottery Barn. All offered the 10% completion program. BB&B was the BEST. Easy returns, 20% off coupons all the time to help save your guests money, and they had a great selection of fine china, crystal, etc...

I would NOT register at Target! You are just asking for stress.

ETA: I did most of my registry work online. BB&B was the only one I set up in person.

 

[aprilcait]

We registered at Pottery Barn, Bed, Bath & Beyond, William Sonoma, and Amazon.

All of the stores had great selections (BB&B and Amazon being the best of the four). We registered online... easy peezy (I totally recommend it; you do it on your time, at your pace without pressure from sales people or having to deal with crowded stores)! We exchanged one item at BB&B... that was completely painless. We could access, monitor, and adjust the accounts online... it was really simple. All four places sent us "10% off the rest of your registry items" coupons. Sweet!

 

[neatfreak]

We did crate and barrel and williams sonoma. Both were super easy, manageable online, and quick and easy returns for the 2 things we had to return.

There are also completion discounts at both stores.

 

[newbie124]

Out of curiosity, does BB&B let you use the 20% coupons if you purchase the gift online? Or can those only be redeemed in the store, in which case, if you''re planning to ship the gift, you''d just ship it yourself?

 

[aprilcait]

Newbie, I'm 99% sure that those 20% coupons you get in the mail can only be used for in-store purchases.

 

[ringster]

BBB - i didn''t want to have to manage more than one store and BBB had better prices and variety of things for us. plus i had heard glowing reviews about how easy their return policy is.

 

[Amandine]

Newbie, the mail coupons are for just in the store. But, you can sign up for email coupons, too.

 

[Fancy605]

We registered at BBB, Macy''s, Belks (for his hometown folks), and reluctantly Target (for my coworkers)

BBB was GREAT. In addition to being very easy to work with, they give cash for all returns (No reciept needed), so you don''t have to worry about fooling with exchanging woes. They give you the cash, and you can use it on more items or on stuff in other stores. I would recommend them HIGHLY.

Macy''s has great selection, but GOSH they get super busy with brides registering. They give store credit for items or allow you to do exchanges, but they are particular about the macy''s sticker and original price tags being on the items, and they really prefer you bring the receipt. One nice thing is that they have a rewards program that gives you a 5% return on all gifts that people purchase from your registry. We ended up getting quite a nice gift card after the wedding. They also give you a discount off any registry items you purchase later (and sometimes they''ll combine it with other discounts too)

Belk was fine to work with. The only thing is that if someone mailed me a gift from Belk, it was delivered to the store, not my address.

Target''s return policy was a pain in the tail. I''m so glad we got VERY few duplicate items from there and had little to return. And if someone orders an item on line and you try to return it in the store, they are VERY particular about it. Pretty much everything people say about them is about on point.

 

[sumbride]

Since nobody has spoke up for C&B yet, I will. They were VERY easy to work with, and I got two completion coupons, one for online and one for in-store. I really appreciated the return policy as well, as we had a few broken things arrive in the mail and I just plain changed my mind on a couple of things. It has changed though, and now you only get 90 days... so if somebody buys the gift and then holds onto it for 3 months, it could be an issue. We had that happen too, but luckily I wanted what they bought... I just wanted them to hurry up with it! I had actually contacted the store to find out if the gifts had been lost in the mail because the registry said they had been purchased, so they were able to tell me who bought them and where they were sent so I knew it was ok.

C&B also does registry events... the store is open only to registering couples so you can ask all the questions you need, they have demos, and you get a free gift. I didn''t get to go to one of those, but I wish I had.

One word of caution... watch the seasonal items. You wouldn''t think ceramic mixing bowls would be seasonal, but they have different colors for the spring, summer and fall. Weird, but true. Keep an eye on your registry for "out of stock" to find out if something has been discontinued. I had to do this quite a bit, especially for linens and any accessory items.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Williams-Sonoma, Macy''s and The Bay (Canada)

WS -- Great experience. Tons of fun registering in the store and they give you a great little booklet to help you review what you need etc. You also get the discount to help with clearing out your registry after your date passes. Really easy to maintain/monitor online.

Macy''s - Fantastic so far. Great attentive service. Lots of "perks". When guests buy items from your registry, you get a percentage of that in "star rewards" and any purchases that you make using your Macy''s card until your wedding date, you get rewards too so come after your wedding, you will get $$ back in the form of a gift card, in addition to, your gifts. They also have a completion program that will give you a % discount which is also applicable on sale or already discounted items.
My favorite part is that depending on what you register for, if you qualify, the vendors you have registered for, Waterford, for example, will give you a gift for simply registering for their items. Now if your registry is completed with the particular vendor requirement, they will also give you another gift upon completion!
You also get a handy little bag upon registering in the store. You can either use it to lug around your wedding stuff or keep it for travel or even give it to someone else who might appreciate it more.
Really easy to maintain/monitor online & great sales or offers every now and then that will likely be welcome by some guests.


The Bay - Lots of selection. Registering process was a nightmare to start because they had a lot of newbie staff. Annoying. The person I was with insisted that I needed to put gift registry cards in with my invitations or else the guests would not be able to purchase items from my registry.

Good thing I knew better otherwise I''d have a bunch of annoyed guests who were put off by that bit of tackiness.

Good luck and have fun registering!

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 6/13/2008 11:00:10 AM
Author:Amandine
Did you like your store''s selection?

Yes. We registered at Crate and Barrel and Macy''s. The Macy''s down the road from us is a smaller store but they''ve had the basic things we wanted/needed.

Were they easy to work with?

Yes. Friendly sales associates helped us through the process. The SA at C&B gave us a tour of the store so we''d be familiar with the layout, etc. I liked that.

How easy were returns/exchanges?

We haven''t had to deal with this yet. We haven''t gotten any duplicates so far, and we haven''t had to exchange anything we''ve gotten from these two stores yet.

Could you access your registrey online?

Yes. We began our registries in the stores but after we were more familair with the items they had and what we possibly wanted, we began adding items online. It''s so easy and convenient!

Could you change items or work with your registry online?

Yes. Same answer as above.

Is there bonus if you purchase items after your wedding, say, 10% off anything still on the registry?

I think both C&B and Macy''s has this kind of promotion, but it''s still a way for the store to make sure you spend your own money on the items you registered for. I''m not sure that we will finish buying from our registry. I''ve heard that if you do the completion program, you get a few free gadgets, items, etc. I''m not sure what though, and I''m not sure it''s worth it.

 

[Octavia]

We haven't registered yet, but I used to work at Pottery Barn so I'll chime in with some tips.

1) Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, and West Elm are all owned by the same company. I've never tried to use a gift card from one of the other places at West Elm, but PB and W-S gift cards/merch credits are interchangeable. I'd be extremely surprised if the policy was different for West Elm. Perk: if you return a duplicate item to PB, you can pop over to W-S and put it toward accessories for the new KitchenAid mixer

2) These stores all have "core" items and "non-core" items. The core ones rarely (if ever) go on sale, but the chance of them being discontinued is pretty slim. Non-core are pretty seasonal (although they sometimes stick around for longer than just one season) and the chances are good they'll be discontinued between the time you register and your wedding. If you see an item with a SALE price, rather than a SPECIAL price, it means it's going away, so you should probably avoid registering for it, or try to get it quickly. Advice: ask the sales associate whether it's a core item or not. If you get someone new, he/she might not know right off the bat, so don't be afraid to ask around. Also, check your registry online every now and then and look for items ending in $X.99 -- these are on sale and will be limited in quantity, and when they're gone, they're gone. Items that are likely non-core: patterned table linens, patterned dishware, bedding, anything that looks holiday-ish or very seasonal.

3) PB and W-S often have registry events on Sunday mornings, before the store opens to the general public. I think you have to sign up in advance, but they'll usually have their most skilled SAs there helping couples register, so you've got a better chance of having all your questions answered quickly and accurately.

4) Probably not official policy, but we always gave 10% off the entire purchase when couples closed out their registries, rather than just 10% off the registry items. You have a year to close it out after the wedding date, so sometimes people would take advantage of this to get really big items for their new house at a bit of a discount.

5) The registry is the same online and in-store, and you can make changes and additions either place. However, some items are internet/catalog only, so you won't be able to scan them in the store and your guests won't be able to purchase them there.

6) A couple things I'd stay away from if you register at PB: Sausalito dinnerware (it's earthenware so it chips pretty easily, and it's so oversized it doesn't fit in many dishwashers and cabinets); Aris pedestal table (didn't like the quality, although it looks like they've completely overhauled the selection of dining tables since I stopped working there -- they had just started to come out with better-quality tables when I left, so the Aris could be "reformulated" now too); Maxfield entertaining pieces (unless you don't mind polishing silver, it doesn't tarnish horribly if you take care of it, but it WILL tarnish).

7) Things I love: rugs (I have two and they've proven to be excellent quality, I wish I'd gotten another before I gave up the discount!); lighting (ditto); slipcovered/upholstered/leather furniture (I luurrve my couch and I'm still pining away for a Manhattan recliner); dining chairs (they were always excellent quality, even when the dining tables weren't, so hopefully they're still as good!).

I don't know the stock at Crate and Barrel very well, but I think the core/non-core idea is the same there, so make sure to ask SAs about the products before putting them on your registry, if you decide to register there. Hopefully this will be helpful to someone!

 

[monarch64]

We were registered at Marshall Fields (before it became Macy''s of course), and C&B. Didn''t have any issues with returns at either store, and didn''t receive any duplicates. My only issue with C&B is that a lot of the kitchen gadgets we received broke within a few months of use (pizza wheel, metal measuring spoon, etc.) I prefer the OXO brand (you can get it at BB&B) instead. Oh, and the Wedgwood flatware we registered for at Fields was discontinued two years later and we hadn''t filled in all the place settings we needed to go with our china yet...if I had it to do over again I would''ve taken gift cards and wedding gift cash and done that right away.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 6/13/2008 12:19:00 PM
Author: newbie124
Out of curiosity, does BB&B let you use the 20% coupons if you purchase the gift online? Or can those only be redeemed in the store, in which case, if you''re planning to ship the gift, you''d just ship it yourself?

*****Yes you can use them online. I just called about this

You have two options. Buy the gift at the store and they basically do the work for you (on their computer). OR buy online, bring in the coupon and your receipt and they will give you the difference in cash. HTHs.

 

[little miss sunshine]

We registered at Macys and Linens N Things.

Linens N Things - they have a 20% completion discount I believe and I set it all up online... very easy to do. I also accidently registered for a few things that didn''t work (wrong type of lamp shads, wrong size bed skirt) and and had NO problem returning and exchanging at the store.

Macy''s - I would highly recommend signing up for the "Star Rewards" if you have a macy''s credit card card. It gives you 10% of the total dollar amount of gifts bought off your registry in a gift card (ex - 1000 worth of gifts = 100 gift card for you). Unfortunately, I didn''t sign up for it in time and before I knew it, most of things had been bought - oh well! I also did it online, and could add/update/etc all online.

 

[Amandine]

bump

 

[Cleopatra]

Our wedding is August 2nd of this year, and we have registries at BB&B and also Dillards...

I had to exchange a few things at BB&B already and it was a breeze - and with Dillards, I received a dinner plate of my china that was scratched up, brought it back and they sent me a replacement in no time.

I love both places that I''m registered at - especially BB&B for the 20% discount for guests...