Putting a Stroller or Car Seat on Your Baby Registry: Test, Scan, Then Share

A stroller and a car seat are usually the two biggest gifts on a baby registry, and at baby enRoute both are final sale. So try them in store before you add them. Then scan the exact model and colour into your registry with your phone, add any adapters you'll need, and think early about who might buy them. Car seats and strollers aren't covered by the registry completion reward, but a car seat bought from us comes with free installation at our Richmond and Burnaby stores.

Why test before you register

Most registry items are easy to swap if they don't suit you. Strollers and car seats aren't: our return policy lists both as final sale. A guest who buys the wrong one can't bring it back, and you'll be living with it every day. Ten minutes pushing a stroller around the store tells you more than any spec sheet.

What to check in store

Strollers

• The fold. Fold it and unfold it yourself, ideally one-handed. Then lift it. You'll do this at the car, on transit and at the door.
• Your trunk. Bring your trunk measurements and compare them with the folded size on the product page.
• The handlebar. Both parents should push it. Check that the handlebar adjusts to a comfortable height for each of you.
• Bumps and tight turns. Push it over a threshold and around a display. Bigger wheels and good suspension matter on Canadian sidewalks in winter.
• Newborn options. Check whether it has a bassinet, a lie-flat seat, or takes an infant car seat with adapters.

Our full-size stroller guide starts with your daily route, and our full-size stroller picks compare the models we carry.

Car seats

• Carry weight. An infant car seat is carried in and out of the car many times a day. Pick it up by the handle and walk around with it.
• Stroller fit. If you want a travel system, check that the seat clicks into your stroller and which adapters you need. Our travel system guide covers compatibility.
• Vehicle fit. Look at the seat's length and base size against your back seat, especially in a small car. Our infant car seat guide explains carry weight and vehicle fit.

Not every model is on the floor in every store, so call ahead if you want to try a specific stroller or car seat.

Scan the exact model

Once you've decided, open your registry on your phone, tap Scan barcode and scan the barcode on the box or price tag. It goes straight onto your list. If a code won't scan, you can type it in. Scanning picks up the exact model and colour, so a guest doesn't end up buying last year's version or the wrong frame.

Then add what goes with it as separate items:

• Car seat adapters, if your stroller needs them for your infant seat
• A rain cover, footmuff, cup holder or parent organizer
• A bassinet or second seat, if it's sold separately

Smaller accessories make good gifts for guests who want to contribute to the stroller without buying the whole thing.

Who buys the big items?

A stroller or car seat is often a gift from grandparents, a close family member or a group of friends. Some things to sort out early:

• Talk to family first. If someone has already offered to buy the stroller, tell them which one you've added, so nobody buys a different model elsewhere.
• Groups. If several people want to chip in, one person can buy it and collect from the others. The gift still ticks off your registry.
• Buying it yourself. If you'd rather choose the timing, buy it yourself and earn points on the purchase. Watch for price-drop emails: we email you when something still on your registry gets cheaper. If you find a lower price at a qualifying retailer within 14 days of your item being available to you, we'll match it.

Which registry perks apply

• Completion reward: no. Car seats, strollers, furniture, mattresses, electronics, sale items and gift cards are excluded from the thank-you offer you get after half your registry is gifted. Don't hold off on these waiting for it.
• Closeout gift card. It's based on the gifts bought through your registry, from $25 for $500 or more up to $200 for $4,000 or more. See the perk details.
• Free car seat installation. Car seats bought from baby enRoute get free installation and check-ups for life, by appointment at our Richmond and Burnaby stores. Seats bought elsewhere are C$50. Book a check-up.

Where to browse first

Start with full-size strollers, lightweight and travel strollers, infant car seats and convertible car seats. Add a few favourites to your registry online, then try them at our Richmond, Burnaby or Ottawa store and keep the one you like best. New to the registry? Here's how the baby enRoute registry works, and our registry checklist covers the rest of the list.