List-maker, list-maker, make me a list

November 12, 2018 7:08 AM

I'm looking for a way to maintain an online holiday wish list for my kid to share with family. We used to use Amazon, but the only way to add products from non-Amazon websites is to install the invasive Amazon Assistant plugin which I don't want to do, so I'm looking for other options.

Desires:
- can add products from any website
- multiple users can add to it, so both parents can put stuff on there
- can maintain multiple lists
- keeps track of what's been bought and what hasn't
- prompts people to mark things as bought (historically our families aren't great at doing this)

I've thought about setting up a Google spreadsheet, but wanted to see if there was something else out there which might be easier or feel more familiar for our less tech-savvy relatives.

posted by radiomayonnaise to Shopping (10 answers total)

On Amazon you can also click the "+Add idea to list" link and just type in the name of something and then as a comment give the URL. Citation: I have literally just been doing this this morning because LittleBits does not offer any of their individual Bits via Amazon but if I use any other kind of wish list, the gparents will have no idea what to do.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:54 AM on November 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

We use one (shared) google sheet for the whole family for Christmas Lists.

In November, we are in adding phase: Each member added gift ideas to their own google sheet tab. Some people are very vague and general, some have incredibly precise desires.

By late November and December we are in gifting mode: Individuals stop looking at their own sheet. We indicate that something is bought by using the 'strike through' font. We are pretty good about this, but there are some doubles.
posted by Sauter Vaguely at 7:57 AM on November 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Pinterest can take some Getting used to, but if your son is a “digital native” I suspect he won’t have much trouble, and it is perfect for this sort of thing. You can download a Pinterest button extension to his browser, and it will allow him to add any image to a Pinterest board. You can share the board with family and each image leads to a direct link.
posted by shalom at 8:01 AM on November 12, 2018

We use a shared Google spreadsheet. It's easy.
posted by heathrowga at 8:06 AM on November 12, 2018

Maybe a SignUp Genius?
posted by Temeraria at 8:07 AM on November 12, 2018

Again, my family uses Keep for shared gift lists. It has a checkbox option, which lets you check a thing off the list. It's still visible, but crossed through, like an old-timey handwritten to-do list.

You can do pictures and fancy stuff, but we just do this:

[] Item Fancy Wine: Brand or description, URL if purchasable on-line
[] Item pom pom hat: specifications, suggestion for exemplar
[] Name of Book
[] Name of CD
[] Special experience: URL for reservations.
posted by crush at 8:10 AM on November 12, 2018

wait, you can share a Keep note/list amongst different users? If so, that's pretty useful since it's on all Android phones as the default notepad app.
posted by twoplussix at 9:59 AM on November 12, 2018

OMG there IS an "add collaborator" option in Keep notes. This is amazing.
posted by twoplussix at 10:00 AM on November 12, 2018

I think you can do everything you’re looking for on wishlistr.com.
posted by gauche at 2:47 PM on November 12, 2018

desirelist

I worked on a very early version of this site a couple years ago and it could help. Edited to add the link.
posted by bendy at 11:11 PM on November 12, 2018