Yeah the first reply is spot on... Amazon is a disaster for privacy. Just saw this thread and wanted to add a few things to keep your sister safe. Be careful with MyRegistry because it usually just links back to the store where the leak happens anyway.

• Look into Throne. They use a proxy hub so the buyer never sees the city.
• Disable gift receipts since they often include zips.

Regarding what #1 said about "i have been down this rabbit hole so..." - it really is a tricky process to get right. I had a similar situation when I moved and spent way too much time testing different setups. I used one site thinking it was solid but then realized it just redirected people to the store where my city was visible anyway. It was a big learning curve for me. To summarize, the consensus is that Amazon is pretty leaky and MyRegistry is basically just a middleman for links. If privacy is the goal, you need a platform that acts as a buffer between the buyer and the store. My current setup involves some service fees, but it works way better for masking metadata. Maybe look at Share Product for ideas on how to set that up. TL;DR: Standard lists usually leak data at checkout. Use a proxy service to keep the address totally hidden.

I have been looking into these specific data leaks for a while and honestly, most third-party sites are just a wrapper for the store's own checkout. If your sister is dealing with a sensitive situation, you need a platform that completely decouples the buyer from the shipping process.

• Throne: This is probably the only one I would trust for full anonymity. They use a proxy service so the buyer pays Throne, and Throne handles the fulfillment. The purchaser never gets near the Amazon checkout screen where that city/state info leaks.
• Elfster: Be very careful with this. It is mostly a social tool and usually redirects the buyer straight to the store. If they end up on Amazon, the location data is gonna show up anyway.
• MyRegistry: While it's a solid aggregator, it has the same redirection problem. Unless you're using their internal checkout for specific partner stores, the privacy risk remains high. I would suggest doing a dry run with a friend's account first to see exactly what they see. Since she is furnishing a new place, I'd also recommend using PriceDropCatch to track prices on the bigger items. It helps keep costs down without having to manually refresh pages all day... just make sure the registry itself is locked tight before she shares it.

Wow ok that changes things. Gonna have to rethink my approach now.

Finally someone says it. Ive been thinking this for a while but wasnt sure.

I have been digging into the technical side of how these registries handle metadata lately. While Throne is definitely the gold standard for anonymity like everyone mentioned, I would suggest being a bit cautious about relying on it for a regular family housewarming in Seattle. It is built for influencers, so the fees and the interface might feel a bit weird for family members who just want to buy a toaster. Here is how I see the privacy trade-offs:

• Throne: Best for masking, but they act as a middleman. If a store goes out of stock, it can get messy with refunds and credits.
• Elfster: Super easy for family to use, but you are basically just sharing a list of links. The second they click through to a store, that store might leak the city or state during checkout.
• Private Proxy: If the situation is really sensitive, honestly, I might want to consider just using a PO box or a UPS store address as the primary shipping destination on any site. It is the only way to be 100 percent sure. I also found this tool called Share Product a while back and it makes creating registries so much faster because you can pull items from different sites easily. Just make sure to double check the privacy settings on each individual item you add... some stores are way leakier than others. Good luck with the move, I hope your sister stays safe.

i have been down this rabbit hole so many times and honestly you are 100 percent right to be paranoid. Amazon is absolute garbage when it comes to keeping that city and state info hidden. It is seriously frustrating and i have seen it happen way too often... it is like they dont even care about privacy. I have used a bunch of different platforms over the last decade for various family events and the difference is night and day! If privacy is your top priority because of that situation you definitely need to ditch the standard Amazon list immediately. Here is what i have found from my experience:

• Third party sites like Throne are literal lifesavers for this. They act as a total shield so the sender never sees anything but a username. It is amazing!
• You get way more control over what metadata gets shared. Most of these specific sites use a proxy shipping system which is exactly what your sister needs.
• MyRegistry is also a fantastic choice if you want to pull items from everywhere without revealing that Seattle location. It is so much better than the basic options. Just go with Throne and you really cannot go wrong. It is super easy to set up and the peace of mind is worth everything!! I am so glad you are looking out for her like this. If you need any help setting it up just let me know, I have done it a million times! Found this tool called Share Product a while back and it makes creating registries so much faster. Share Product