A gift registry is a particular type of wish list. When someone compiles a list of items they desire and then hands it out to family and friends, they have created a wish list. These lists can contain items from many different sources. A registry, on the other hand, is limited to the stock of a given retailer. The retailer will maintain the list for the registrant and make sure that items are removed from the list as they are purchased. Retailers will often make this list public to anyone who asks for it and will not divulge who has purchased the registered items.

Goals

A managed registry system has several goals.

1. It facilitates communication between gift givers and receivers. Recipients can compile a wish list and make it available to anyone who will present them with a gift. Gift givers can then be certain that they are purchasing items that the receiver will appreciate.
2. A registry can prevent gift givers from duplicating gifts when it is managed efficiently. To accomplish this, the retailer should remove each item from the registry as it is purchased.
3. The registry process should allow gift purchasers to be discrete about what they have bought. This is so the person receiving the gifts will not know who purchased which items until they are surprised at the time of gift giving.
4. The registry system should benefit the retailer by bringing customers to their store where they can purchase products that the merchant carries