I highly recommend an Amazon baby registry to any expecting parent, in or outside the US, and regardless of whether you plan on having a baby shower (I did not).
Why?
Amazon has a super wide selection of items, and few exemptions for the completion discount (see below).
They ship to many countries worldwide.
They offer a completion discount (a discount on items on your registry that no one else bought for you) ranging from 10%-15%, depending on whether you're a Prime member.
They offer a free welcome box for prime members valued at ~$35 (more on this below).
They have a good return policy.
They occasionally offer additional benefits for registrants, such as discounts on diapers. You will see the most up-to-date list of perks when you create your registry.
Here is a step-by-step guide to creating an Amazon baby registry and making the most out of it:
STEP ONE: CREATE A REGISTRY
Click this link (make sure you are logged in).
Follow the instructions to create a new baby registry.
Note: your completion discount will be available 60 days before your due date and at least 14 days after the registry was created. If you plan on ordering a bulk of stuff beforehand, you may want to take that into account.
STEP TWO: ADD ITEMS TO YOUR REGISTRY I highly recommend going over the different categories on Mama Loves Mia, which provide a comprehensive list of everything you'll need for the newborn stage and beyond. You may also want to peek at some of the blog posts for more specific topics and lists.
For more ideas and tips on which items to add to your registry, see "PRO TIPS" below.
To add an item to your registry, simply click "Add to Baby Registry" from the item menu (under the "Add to Cart" and "Buy Now" buttons).
STEP 3: REDEEM YOUR FREE WELCOME BOX
One of the perks of creating an Amazon baby registry is the free welcome box you get (if you are a prime member), which is worth up to $35. It includes a rotating selection of items, which may include samples of wipes, diapers, toiletries, nursing pads, and more, as well as full size products like onesies, swaddles, bottles, and pacifiers. They also usually include a bunch of coupons for discounts on various baby products.
In order to redeem you free welcome box, you must first complete at least 80% of the registry checklist.
To do so, on your main registry page, click "Checkout your Checklist".
You will see a list of categories (Out & About, Nursery, Feeding, etc), each of these has sub-categories (for example, Car Seats, Strollers, etc. under the Out & About category).
Go over each category and check the boxes near each sub-category. You don't have to add any of the suggested products to your registry to complete this step.
The next requirement to redeem the welcome box is to make a purchase of at least $10 from your registry. Note that it doesn't have to be a baby-related item, you can just add anything you need from Amazon to your registry and purchase it. Make sure to add the item(s) to your cart directly from your registry. Also, the $10 minimum requirement does not include taxes and shipping.
Once your $10 minimum order ships, the welcome box should become available.
To order your welcome box, scroll down on your main registry page and click the welcome box section.
Next, click the "Claim Now" button. This will add the box to your cart. The welcome box will appear at a $35 cost, but a 100% discount will be applied at checkout.
STEP 4: REDEEM YOUR COMPLETION DISCOUNT
The completion discount is one of the best perks of the Amazon baby registry.
Here's the 411:
The completion discount offers a 10%-15% discount on any eligible items on your registry (10% for non-prime members, and 15% for prime members). The discount applies to many items, including big-ticket items like strollers, bassinets, and car seats, and has few exclusions. You can see which items are eligible when viewing your registry.
The completion discount is valid starting 60 days before your due date (and at least 14 days after the registry was created), and expires 60 days after your due date.
The completion discount applies to up to two orders valued up to $2,000 (combined).
When should I use my completion discount?
I recommend placing one order before baby arrives with most things. If you are planning on having a baby shower and/or sharing your registry with others, wait and see which items are gifted to you before placing the first order.
A good time for a second order is a couple of weeks to a month after baby arrives once you start to get a hang of things and have a better idea of what you need. This will also give you time to figure out which items work for you and which baby prefers. You'll probably try a few types of swaddles, bottles, pacifiers, diapers, wipes, etc. before figuring out which ones you and baby love. Once you decide which items you like, stock up on them in your second order.
How do I redeem the completion discount?
From your main registry view, click on the completion discount section.
Next, click the "redeem now" button.
Be sure to add all the items you want from the completion discount view page (the discount won't
apply if you don't!). Also, double check that the discount was applied before checking out.
PRO TIPS
Aside from newborn essentials the "classic" registry items, I highly recommend considering adding the following as well:
Delivery and postpartum care items: see this blog post re hospital bag essentials, and the POSTPARTUM section for ideas.
Big-ticket items for a bit later on: such as a high chair, jumper, play mat, etc. You'll want to take advantage of the completion discount for these items.
Items for older siblings: toys, clothing, anything else your can think of. The completion discount also applies to many toddler and older kids' items.
Any other items you, your partner, or anyone else in your family needs from Amazon. I was surprised by the number of non-baby related items that were eligible for the completion discount. No harm in trying by adding items to your registry and seeing if the discount applies.
Prime membership tip: if either you or your partner are prime members, I highly recommend creating an Amazon household account which allows you to share prime benefits (if one of you doesn't have an Amazon account, I would create one for this purpose). This also means you can create a baby registry on both accounts and enjoy the perks twice (another welcome box and two more chances you use the completion discount)!
To create a household account, log into the Amazon account which has a prime membership, enter your prime membership page from your account menu, and click "Manage Your Household".
Please feel free to reach out here in the comments if you have any more questions!
Happy Shopping!
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