After dozens of wedding invitations and 10 years of faffing, Nunu Luan had had enough. She was so frustrated trying to find the perfect gift that she created Double Happiness, her own online, centralised gift registry. The venture is a first for Hong Kong and a breakthrough for those who prefer to shop for gifts by pointing and clicking.
'I found shopping for wedding gifts in Hong Kong so inconvenient,' she says. 'For one, there was no centralised channel, so if people wanted things from different stores they needed to have a list in each of those stores.
'Also, what was available was very limited, and often required you to go to the shop in person to buy the gift,' says the 35-year-old US-born Chinese, who trained as an architect and who also owns Brown restaurant in Happy Valley.
With more than 70 Hong Kong merchants available through the registry, putting together the perfect suggestion gift list has never been so easy.
Simply take the registry form on a tour of any of the 70 outlets, pick your bounty, write the product number on the form and fax it to Ms Luan's office. Then wait for your friends and family to logon and start buying.
Brands to choose from include G.O.D., Alessi, Bang & Olufsen, Bed & Bath, Royal Doulton and Macintosh. For those seeking the unconventional, pampering sessions, helicopter rides over Hong Kong and wine appreciation courses could provide an interesting option.
The registry, however, is not just for weddings. Anyone can buy any of the site's online products, making it a handy present-buying resource. Minimal delivery charges are an added attraction and Ms Luan guarantees that all prices are the same as those in the shops.
