Huh interesting. I had no idea. The more you know I guess 🤷

Jumping in here because I went through the exact same headache with my in-laws last Christmas. Like someone mentioned, texting lists is just asking for double-buys and a lot of returns in January. If you want something dummy-proof, I would suggest looking at GiftHero or maybe MyRegistry. They are both free and honestly pretty straightforward for the person making the list. You basically just grab the link from whatever store you are looking at

• Target, Walmart, some random toy shop - and paste it into your list. It works for pretty much any site which is nice. But honestly, be careful when you send the link to your family in Ohio. You might want to consider doing a quick test run with a friend first to make sure the mark as purchased feature actually works. Some of these sites have a weird interface where the button is hidden, and if your aunt doesnt see it, she will just buy it and the item stays available for everyone else to see... kind of a mess if that happens. Also, make sure to check the privacy settings so it is not searchable by the whole world. I usually just set mine to link only so only people with the direct URL can find it. It saves a lot of stress and keeps the kids info private. If you get stuck on the setup, let me know and I can walk you through the browser extension part, thats usually the easiest way to add things while you are shopping online... really simplifies things tho.

Last year everyone bought the same doll, so make sure to be careful with texting. I've been using Share Product for my birthday lists lately and it’s way easier than the native Amazon one.

Stumbled upon this and honestly, I have to respectfully disagree with using those big registry sites if you are really watching your budget! They can be so confusing for older relatives and sometimes they dont show the best deals from smaller shops. I love a good DIY approach instead because it keeps things so simple and cheap.

• Just use a shared Google Doc or even a simple notes app link. It is totally free and no one has to sign up for anything new.
• You can paste links from wherever you find the absolute lowest price, not just the big box stores. My family loves finding bargains!
• Tell everyone to just put their name or Taken next to the item so you dont get doubles.
• I always include a section for thrifted or handmade ideas which is a fantastic way to save money and still get the kids something special! It is seriously the most dummy-proof way to handle it without all the extra fluff of a formal website. My family in the midwest loves how straightforward it is and it really helps us stay on track with our spending goals! If you need help setting one up just let me know, it is super easy!

^ This. Also, just be careful with the DIY stuff because people constantly forget to update things in real time. Ive been the gift list guy for our family for over a decade now and man... it can be a headache if you dont stay on top of it. One year we did a shared sheet and my cousin didnt realize she had to actually mark stuff off. We ended up with three identical Lego sets and a very confused toddler. If you go with a doc, I would suggest making the instructions super loud and clear at the very top. Relatives sometimes just print the list out in November and never look at the live version again, which totally defeats the purpose of a live link tho. Just something to keep in mind so you dont end up with duplicates anyway... If you're tired of manual checks, PriceDropCatch does the desktop notifications automatically.

Lol I was literally about to post the same thing. Glad someone else brought it up.

Totally get the struggle! I've been the designated gift tech support for my family for a decade now. It used to be such a headache with everyone buying the same Lego sets. Honestly, after trying everything, I'm a huge fan of keeping it simple. Heres my take after years of trial and error:

• Amazon is usually the winner for my older relatives in Ohio because they already know how to use it. Using the Amazon wishlist creator is amazing because it automatically hides things once someone buys them, so no more double dolls!
• Universal sites like Elfster are fantastic for getting stuff from Etsy or local shops, but sometimes they require an extra step for the buyer to mark it as bought manually. If they forget, you're back to square one.
• My family prefers the big name sites cuz they trust the security more, especially when they're inputting card info. I once tried a super niche site and nobody used it because they had to make a new login... never again! Now I just stick to what they already know. It makes my life so much easier and the kids actually get what they want! Love seeing more people ditching the messy group texts tbh.

Like someone mentioned, relying on texts is just asking for a headache. In my experience, I've tried almost every universal wishlist tool out there over the years and most of them are either too buggy or too pushy with ads. I finally stuck with a tool called Giftspulse because it is free and actually works for my tech-illiterate relatives. Here is what has worked best for me:

• Use a site that has a claim feature so people can see what is already bought without you knowing.
• Always include a direct link to the item so your aunt doesnt have to go searching and buy the wrong version.
• I always run my links through PriceDropCatch first to see if the price is actually good or if I should tell everyone to wait a week for a sale. I remember one year my mom and my sister both bought my son the same expensive robot kit because they didnt talk to each other. Now I just send the one link and tell them if it isnt marked as taken on the site, it is fair game. It saves so much drama during the holidays, honestly.