Many of us have already given someone a present using a gift registry set up through Amazon. We’ve gifted using registries set up for weddings, birthdays, new baby and special occasions.
Isn’t launching a startup and special occasion? Did you know you can create a “custom gift list” registry? You can do the shopping, choosing from items you find on Amazon to create your list, which makes it an ideal way for family support of entrepreneurs.
A lot of friends and family may feel uncomfortable giving money to you, but they will buy gifts that support your startup without actually borrowing money from family for business.
What is Amazon Gift Registry?
Anyone can create an Amazon Gift Registry. All you need as a prerequisite is an Amazon account. The registries named by Amazon are Baby, Wedding, Birthday and Custom. Although you could argue that you’ll be wedding to your startup business, and it’ll be your baby, choose Custom.
Those who start a registry do the “shopping” first. By category, they surf the multitudes of items available on Amazon. With a click, they can add chosen items to their registry.
How do Amazon Gift Registries Work?
Once they’ve set up the registry, they can share the list with family and friends. Items that the family and friends chose and marked “purchased” so that there are no duplicates.
People can search for your registry by your name or email address.
Items can be shipped directly to the person who set up the registry. Amazon keeps a list of the purchases and who made them, so that it’s easy for the registrant to send thank you notes.
You can check on the status of items in the registry by using Amazon’s “sort and filter” list. For example, you can search “purchased” and see what friends and family have already bought for you.
8 Reasons Why You Should Use Amazon Custom Gift Registry for Your Business Startup
Along with the 8 best reasons why you should use an Amazon gift list for your startup is a basic question:
Can you think of any reason why you shouldn’t?
Your only “cost” to set up the registry is spending an hour (or two or three) surfing the Amazon website and choosing items you need.
Although there are so many types of startups with so many different needs, every business has some basic needs:
- Phones/business phone systems/headsets/fax
- Printer/Scanner/copier
- Computers and software, surge protectors
- Cell phones
- Shredder
- Office furniture
- Lighting
- Coffee Maker, small refrigerator, tabletop microwave
- Air conditioner, heater
- Filing cabinets
- POS system/card reader
Have you been running a mental calculator along with this list? You can get every one of these items on Amazon.
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Amazon Has Almost Everything You Need for a Business Startup
And if by chance Amazon doesn’t have everything you need, you can add items from other websites using an Amazon Universal Registry. But that can cause glitches in the process. For example, it’s not as easy to keep track of what’s been purchased if an item doesn’t come from the Amazon site.
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You can Read Product Reviews Before Adding Products to Your Registry
This is invaluable when you’re choosing between a myriad of choices for the same thing. For example, a simple coffee maker. Do you want to use a pour through, or French press? Keurig? Regular drip style? You can read what others have experienced using a product.
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Amazon is a Trustworthy Site
Amazon has excellent customer service. It is trusted by customers.
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It’s Hard to Beat Shipping Costs
Shoppers who have Amazon Prime won’t pay shipping costs. Also, Amazon doesn’t charge for shipping on orders that are more than $25.
Another bonus is that friends and family who purchase items for your startup can have them shipped directly to you.
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Amazon Offers Gift Prioritization
When you set up your registry you can “rate” your choices by importance. For example, you can list certain chosen items as “must haves” and hope that your friends and family respond.
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You can Keep Track of What You Have and What You Still Need
You can go to your registry, and use Amazon’s Sort and Filter button. Using that button, you can see what’s already been purchased. You can also add items to your registry at any time.
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You can Have Products Recommended to You
Remember that simple coffee maker? When you start shopping for a coffee maker, your Amazon search will initially respond with many different kinds of coffee makers. Once you click on a choice, such as a drip style coffee maker, Amazon will display other coffee makers of the same style.
Once you’ve chosen from that array of choices, you may see related items such as packs of filters, coffee cups and more. You’ll have related products recommended to you, and you’ll also see what other customers purchased.
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Amazon Has an Excellent Returns Policy
You can return items within 90 days. Typically, no questions asked as long as you’re within the 90 day return period.
How do I Register a Custom Gift List on Amazon?
Go to the the Amazon website.
Search under Gift List, and you’ll see the choices Weddings and New Baby. You’ll choose Custom Gift list.
Set up your Custom Gift List under your name, so that friends and family can find it.
Start shopping! Choose Amazon items and add them to your Custom Gift List registry.
If you can’t find exactly what you want on Amazon, you can add items from other sites using the Amazon Universal Registry.
Share your Custom Gift List registry with family and friends. Let them know that they can share the information with others.
Get ready to stock your business startup as items are purchased and delivered.
How Do You Find Someone’s registry on Amazon?
It’s easy to find someone’s registry on Amazon. Just go here.
Registries are most commonly listed under the registrant’s name.
How do I find out who bought me a gift from Amazon?
When someone purchases an item from your Custom Gift List, the item will be marked purchased.
When you check you registry, you can use Amazon’s Sort and Filter button to find out which items have been purchased.
Amazon keeps a list of which items have been purchased and also who has purchased them. That way, it will be easy for you to write thank you notes.
Oh – and you can purchase thank you notes on Amazon.
Can you turn an Amazon list into a registry?
The Amazon list and the Amazon Custom gift registry share many similarities. With both, the registrant shops and adds items to a list. The list can be shared with others, such as family and friends. Family and friends can also search for an Amazon list by the shopper’s name.
The Amazon list can be found from the main website by choosing the Accts and Lists tab. The second selection you’d make is Find a list or registry.
Can you turn an Amazon list into a registry? No, they are separate. They can be used the same way.
Our opinion? The Amazon list is more of a personal wish list. It’s where people shop and choose items that they wish they could have someday.
Although the Amazon list can be a tool to aid family and friends in purchasing gifts for you, the Amazon Custom Registry seems more applicable. The items are not personal gifts for you. The items are needed for your startup.
Can you tell if someone buys from your Amazon wish list?
In order to know whether or not someone has purchased from your Amazon list is to set up the list to receive notifications when something is purchased. When you set up the list, you can choose to receive an alert when something is purchased.
But, although you’ll know that something has been purchased, that happening won’t be noted on your list. The item will remain on your list. ist creator. We’ll go into more detail about this below, but essentially, a person will only receive notifications if they’ve set them to send an alert when something on their list is purchased.
If you’re considering purchasing a gift on your own Amazon account rather than from their wish list you can. But, Amazon will not know that it should remove that item from the list, and therefore someone else may make the exact same purchase.
When someone buys something off your Amazon wish list, does it disappear?
No. The item doesn’t disappear. The item won’t be removed and someone else may also buy it for you. You’ll receive a notification, but that means the item is already headed your way!
With the Amazon Custom Registry, if a shopper chooses an item they can see that it’s already been purchased. It will be marked “purchased” when they click on it. That way there are no duplicates.
You can check your Custom Amazon Registry by using the Sort and Filter button. That will show you which items have been purchased. As you check the list of purchased items, you can also see who purchased them. Amazon will keep that list for you, which makes it easier to send thank you notes.
How long do you have to return Amazon registry items?
Amazon has a gracious return period of up to 90 days.
Image: Depositphotos
This article, “Using an Amazon Registry So Friends and Family Can Support Your Startup Business” was first published on Small Business Trends
