Debenhams registry disaster- rant

My fiance and I originally decided not to register for gifts. This was mainly because registering for gifts here is not very common and he told me he didn't feel comfortable putting a registry number in our invites. So we didn't.

Recently, DF's family and friends started approaching us asking us what we wanted as gifts because some of them wanted to give us an actual gift and not money. They all suggested it wouldn't be a bad idea to register for gifts.

So a few weeks ago, DF and I go into Debenhams(which is the only department store in and around our town) and spend 2 hours registering for gifts. We accidentally scanned a few items we didn't want, and we wanted to add other things from their website because the store here isn't very big. The associate *ASSURED* us that when we went online, we could edit and add to our list. She said we could log in with our email and address.

The next day I go online, and I can't get our list to come up. We were given a list number, and nothing more. The login on the website wants list number and password. So I call to our local Debenhams for the password and a different associate answers, who informs me that the lists you make in store do not cross over online. Really? This is 2013, how do you not have this technology? Every other store does. I called the corporate number and speak to someone in the wedding department who can't help me either.

So I gave up, and I said forget it, we will just reregister on the Debenhams website, and rebuild our whole list. I start building our list, but we get distracted and leave it for a few days.

The other day, I went to log in to finish our list, and the whole registry site has been shut down for DAYS, saying it is being "rebuilt". It doesn't say when it will be back up. Our wedding is a month away, and our guests keep bugging us about what we want.

What a disaster. I'm just getting fed up with incompentent employees and unprofessionalism that Debenhams has demonstrated. Why advertise your wedding services and gift list services if they don't even work properly?

ICK. That is absolute sh*t customer service.

How techie are your friends and family members?

I have used myregistry.com for a universal registry (there is lots, including amazon). You could always pick out Debenham things and list them on the universal registry, but your family will have to be somewhat computer literate to do so.

(Though I would frankly not want to give Debenhams any ££ after that fiasco!)

Yuck, that sucks.

Could you register someplace like Amazon? Their registries have been in place for years, and at least then there's no hassle about what's in-store and scanned and what's chosen online.

Very glad now that we opted for asking for charitable donations and setup a single backup registry of cash gifts (one fun item and money towards a house down payment). If anyone wants to hand us something tangible they can give us a card or something - there's literally no place in our flat to put anything else, we already have piles of things dotted around our lounge.

Sounds like they are having some issues, that's for sure! I'm sorry you're having so many problems with using them. 

We had a Debenhams registry back in 2004, and were able to do all of the things you have tried to do - scanned in store, managed our list online, everything - no problems at all! They must have changed their system & not for the better.

IME, wedding registries are pretty common here, just not printed on the invitations. We weren't going to have one either because DH didn't want to do it, but everyone asked us for one so we did in the end.

Hope you figure something out that works for you! I was thinking of an Amazon wishlist or something like that?

I'm sorry I have no advice on where to register, but just wanted to add my 2 pence about Debenhams. Mainly, that I will never shop there again. Their site is absolute crap. My mother tried to order some Christmas presents for us online. Despite 10, yes 10 phone calls (6 from my mom, 4 from us), our gifts never arrived and no one could even find them in the system.  Yet, my mother's credit card was charged. It didn't get sorted out until about 3 weeks after Christmas. Never again. Ugh!

I hope you find a good place quickly.

We used them in 2007, and like Mrs. R, we didn't have any problems.  UGH!  We even got a Happy First Christmas card from them and used it as a piece of evidence when applying for ILR.

ICK. That is absolute sh*t customer service.

How techie are your friends and family members?

I have used myregistry.com for a universal registry (there is lots, including amazon). You could always pick out Debenham things and list them on the universal registry, but your family will have to be somewhat computer literate to do so.

(Though I would frankly not want to give Debenhams any ££ after that fiasco!)

Thanks for all the suggestions, ladies. I certainly do not even want my guests to use Debenhams at this point! We chose them because it would be easier for our older guests who don't use the internet, but now we may just have to go with an internet list.

I will definitely be checking out the Amazon registry as well as John Lewis online.

Fallgal- Ugh, what a mess! I'm glad you finally got it sorted out!

I have never really cared for Debenhams but this experience really set me off. I agree with you, their website is awful and off-putting. Even when we were in the store registering, half of the selves were empty, there were signs for products that were nowhere to be found. Some of the things we chose wouldn't even scan. Not a good selection really, I was pretty disappointed. I should have taken that as the first cue. The bridal service area wasn't even special or exciting.

Have you had a look at prezola.com?  They put lists together from thousands of suppliers and have three different delivery options and supply small cards to send out too.  We haven't used them yet but are seriously considering them for my daughter's wedding - the website looks good anyway!