More busy brides create gift registries online

43% of engaged couples created a gift registry online last year, up from 33% in 2009, suggest survey data from The Knot Inc. A larger proportion of couples, 79% used only the Internet to manage their registries, up from 69% in 2009. Managing a registry means couples checked e-commerce sites to monitor purchases or to add and delete products.

The Knot is the media company and e-retailer behind the wedding sites TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com. The company polled more than 11,500 engaged couples for its Market Intelligence 2010 Bridal Registry Study. The results indicate that the Internet’s influence on the wedding registration process is growing. The Knot is No. 335 on Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide.

The Internet also beat out Mom’s influence in helping engaged couples plan their wedding registries. 41% of couples say the Internet was very influential in helping them plan their registry, followed by friends and family (37%) and consumer reviews (27%). Couples also use the web to get word out about their registries. 61% of registered couples used a personal wedding web site to communicate registry information to guests, up from 53% in 2009. 12% posted registry details to Facebook or other social networks, up from 5% in 2009. 

Nationally, couples chose to register with an average of three retailers. The leading retailers were Bed Bath & Beyond, No. 154 on Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide, Target (No. 21) and Macy’s (No. 20). There were some regional variances. Couples in the Northeast and West were more likely to register at Crate & Barrel (No. 60); in the South, Wal-mart (No. 6); and in the Midwest, Kohl’s (No. 43).