Yesterday, we detailed the use of online wish lists in organizing and sharing Christmas/holiday gift lists.  The article 51 Days Until Christmas – What’s On Your Wish List was a popular one and we received some great feedback from a few of our readers, so I decided to dig deeper and reveal some additional information that might be helpful for you all.

I began testing the different online wish list services yesterday afternoon and through much of the morning.  On each of the 5 sites we mentioned yesterday, I created a profile and added gifts to my list.  I also took the time to search and view the lists of other users, so I could get a feel for things from both sides of the fence.  All of the sites I reviewed were functional and easy-to-use, but I realized that each user might be looking for some very specific things out of a service like this.  I analyzed each site and compared them to put together a list of features that I found important.  Below are my findings.

Click on Image for a Larger View

** Note that “Universal Wishlist” is the Amazon.com wish list service in this chart.

While the sites were all very similar, some clear winners began to present themselves as I was creating this comparison chart.  There were a few key areas that I think most users would consider a “deal breaker.”

1. Others can mark as “Bought” or “Reserved” - one of the key components of the articles yesterday was that these services should help family and friends avoid the “duplicate gift” issue.  Unfortunately, wishlistr.com did not let gift givers note if they had purchased the item or not.  They were the only service that did not pass this test.
2. Bought/Reserved status is hidden from list owner - HUGE! If I create a Christmas list and I am say.. over the age of 7, I probably don’t want to know what gifts have already been purchased for me.  What fun is there in that?  I would rather be surprised when the event arrives, whether it is a birthday or holiday.

Some features of these online services actually surprised me a bit.  For example, 3 of the 5 sites allow you to share your list via Facebook.  I don’t know why that caught be off guard, as I think it is brilliant.  Everything else on the internet has gone that route, and now these sites are doing the same.  Likewise, myregistry.com surprised me with a PayPal feature.  Now, Grandma can send you that $10 Christmas or birthday check electronically (assuming you spend some time helping her with her computer needs first).  No offense to any grandmothers out there, including mine.

Overall, I have to say that I was most impressed with amazon.com’s “Universal Wishlist.”  It edged out the competition in it’s feature set and overall simplicity.  The site was very easy to use and, since I have been an amazon.com shopper for many years, much of my information was already there, including my user name, password, shipping address and some of the items I had already searched during previous visits.  If you have ever bought anything from amazon.com, I think you will enjoy the service as well.

BONUS: Amazon.com is currently running a series of sweepstakes for those who create and add items to their wish list.  This weeks grand prize is valued at $15,000.  (contest details here)

Now you are armed.  Go create those lists and start sharing them.  While you are at it, you can share today’s article using the ShareThis button below.

UPDATE: Thanks to a few readers (who were more familiar with the service at myregistry.com) the chart has been updated. update 11/05/09 @ 4:20pm (CST)

Tags: Amazon.com, Birthday, Christmas, Facebook, Grandmother, myregistry.com, Online Wish List, PayPal, thethingsIwant.com, Wish List, wishlistr.com, yourlistonline.com

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 11:43 am and is filed under Free Programs, Online Shopping, Social Networking, Tips and Tricks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.