Health
Gift Registries for Holiday Buying
A growing number of retail chains across the country are offering their customers the opportunity to set up their own gift registry -- much like the bridal registries of the past.
Toys R Us, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, Pottery Barn, Sears and L.L. Bean are just some of the stores offering non-bridal gift registries.
While not quite a holiday tradition yet, the retail concept brings in about $100 million a year -- up from virtually nothing five years ago -- according to the National Retail Federation.
Consumers who use them see them as a time-saving godsend: avoiding hours spent in line exchanging unwanted or duplicate gifts. The giver can find a present the recipient is certain to enjoy. A grandmother in one state knows exactly which virtual pet her grandson in another state desires.
More traditional shoppers may find the idea of a specific wish list a bit too commercial. "A system which encourages children to electronically scan an unlimited number of products onto a computer list for their relatives and friends to consult is simply a crass marketing ploy," wrote Ellen Furnari, executive director of the Center For A New American Dream, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing waste and consumption.
Toys R Us, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, Pottery Barn, Sears and L.L. Bean are just some of the stores offering non-bridal gift registries.
While not quite a holiday tradition yet, the retail concept brings in about $100 million a year -- up from virtually nothing five years ago -- according to the National Retail Federation.
Consumers who use them see them as a time-saving godsend: avoiding hours spent in line exchanging unwanted or duplicate gifts. The giver can find a present the recipient is certain to enjoy. A grandmother in one state knows exactly which virtual pet her grandson in another state desires.
More traditional shoppers may find the idea of a specific wish list a bit too commercial. "A system which encourages children to electronically scan an unlimited number of products onto a computer list for their relatives and friends to consult is simply a crass marketing ploy," wrote Ellen Furnari, executive director of the Center For A New American Dream, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing waste and consumption.
