GIFT REGISTRY with ZOLA???

Following. I asked a similar question about myregistry.Com so it would be interesting to hear about another option

Pros:

- you can add stuff from other stores

- 10% completion discount.

cons:

- the completion discount only applies to items from Zola.

- Zola is weirdly pushy about the option to let your guests contribute the cash value of an item (less their money-handling fees, of course) rather than buying the item itself.

- personally I think Zola overcharges for stuff that's really not my style.

If I were doing it over again I would probably do BB&B or Target for stuff from those stores (as they both have similar completion discounts), and a MyRegistry or something like that for miscellaneous items from other stores.

Thanks pigeon! I think I'll go with myregistry over zola. Sorry for hijacking your thread, OP

Np, im glad I could get some feedback that helped someone else. Thanks pigeon for ur help. I think ill just go ahead and do it in store. I just kept seeing ads for Zola and was curious!

We registered our Honeymoon through Zola. We love the option to create group gifts that our guests can choose to contribute to. We also loved that they can choose the amount they wish to contribute. All of our totals are hidden, so people don't know how much we actually are asking for, they just choose an experience and click on it to contribute. They do charge a small fee for cash gifts. However, it's more secure and the best cost we could find after much research. Happy planning!!!

^Don't do that

Why not Lynn

You never, ever register for cash gifts. It's rude and pointless.

What Lynn said.

Everyone hates honeymoon registries. (Well, except you......) They take a fee, you're basically asking for cash, and you don't get an 'experience". You get a check with a fee taken out.

Adults know how to give you cash. Don't tell them.

Honeyfunds are considered terrible etiquette and one if the tackiest things you can do for your wedding.

I like Zola! Obviously do not use the honeymoon feature, I'm only registered for gifts on it. Guests can choose to ship it to themselves, or to our address. Since we're moving a month before the wedding, I like the feature where they let you choose to ship the gifts all on one later date once you've moved.

I think the question of whether or not to do honeyfunds is totally separate from what Sabrina is asking. (And there are already a million forums out there that cover whether it is or isn't tacky!)

About Zola specifically, I think it's an awesome registry. It's so easy to use, they have really beautiful gifts that I can't seem to find anywhere else, and it's really convenient. A ton of my friends have used it and they've loved their experience. I can't speak to Myregistry since I'm not using it. Hope that helps! No matter where you register, register for more plates than you need! I've already broken two of the plates I've gotten - I must have slippery hands, LOL!

One of my friends registered with Zola and as a person purchasing gifts, I hated my experience. I ordered her two gifts (coasters and glasses) and wanted to give them to her at her bridal shower. Only one of them shipped to me; the other, she had the option of accepting the gift to be shipped directly to her or to take the cash value. I don't know what option she chose, but I was pretty bummed that the gift I had chosen and wanted to give in person turned out that way. I felt a duped by the site.

@TheRascal, that means she linked out to a product from another website. If you are just buying products from their website, it works like any other registry.

Thank you so much Lisa K. The honeyfund subject seemed to quickly overshadow my original inquiry! I don't think I even mentioned it.

TheRascal, I appreciate your feedback from a buyer's perspective. I am a VERY thoughtful gifter, and would be very disappointed to know my gift was forfeited for cash.

Yes, that is correct @tjacob. I found the process annoying and disappointing for even having that option. I actually wanted to give the gift that I bought.

@theRascal totally understandable! I think arrangements like that are deceptive. Same as honey funds. There's an option from the point of the couple though not to do that, so as long as the couple only uses it for Zola gifts I'm a fan. I personally like the collection of things they have

I'm doing a Zola and a BB&B registry. I'm using Zola solely as a universal registry so I can do some things from Walmart (in LOVE with The Pioneer Woman), Kohl's, and Amazon - plus some places that don't do registries like the Pampered Chef, a Berkey water filter, etc. I know a lot of people will be confused by it, but because of the diversity of ages coming to the wedding hopefully there will be a happy combo between those who want to buy stuff in store (BB&B) and those who are adventurous and want to try Zola.

I wasn't a fan as a Zola user for two recent weddings I attended. The site didn't update correctly. Even after I purchased an item (and went through the whole spiel of waiting until you get your order confirmation and entering the order number into Zola), it didn't show up as having been purchased for weeks.

Also the site was inflexible to work with. I added something to my cart w/o being logged in and then closed out of the webpage accidentally, but when I went back it said the item was in someone's cart, and wouldn't even let me click on it. I had to wait a couple of days for it to realize that it wasn't really in someone's cart.

I think that's why I don't want to use it for my own registry. Pain in the butt. I'm going to look around to see if anyone has better things to say about MyRegistry.