An Amazon Wish List Alternative That Works With Every Store
One list. Any retailer. Real duplicate prevention. Privacy that respects your family.
Amazon wish lists are convenient, but they have one major limitation: they only really work for things you can buy on Amazon. The moment a family member wants something from Target, Etsy, a local shop, or a small business, the list breaks down and you're back to spreadsheets and screenshots.
This Is What They Want is a universal Amazon wish list alternative. Add items from any store, any URL, any photo, or any barcode — all in one shared family or group list.
Why pick a universal alternative over Amazon wish lists?
- Universal items — Amazon, Target, Walmart, Etsy, local shops, anywhere with a URL or barcode.
- Real duplicate prevention — claimed items disappear for other shoppers but stay visible to the recipient. Amazon's "purchased" tracking is unreliable for off-Amazon gifts.
- Group gifting — pool money for big-ticket gifts with a transparent progress bar. Amazon doesn't natively support this.
- Privacy-first — no ads, no recommendations algorithm, no profiling of what your kids want.
- COPPA compliant — verifiable parental consent and a Parent Data Dashboard. Amazon wish lists weren't designed for kids under 13.
- No account required for viewers — family members just enter a passcode. No Amazon account, no app, no friction.
How adding items from any store works
There are four ways to add an item to a wish list, and only one of them touches Amazon at all:
- Scan a barcode in any store — the camera reads the UPC and AI fills in the name, photo, and price.
- Take a photo of any product — image recognition identifies the item.
- Paste any product URL — Amazon, Target, Walmart, Etsy, Shopify, small business sites — all supported.
- Type a description — let AI suggest a name, image, and shopping link if you don't have one yet.
Surprises stay surprises
Amazon's wish list shares "purchased" status loosely and doesn't hide it well from the recipient. With This Is What They Want, claimed items are hidden from other shoppers (so two relatives don't buy the same gift) but the claim status is invisible to the person the list is for. The surprise is preserved every single time.
Group gifting that Amazon doesn't do
Group gifting lets multiple people pool money for a bigger present. The organizer enables contributions on a specific item, members chip in whatever they're comfortable with, and a progress bar shows the total. When the goal is met, one person buys it. Amazon wish lists don't natively support this — and group chats fall apart trying to coordinate who's paying what.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best alternative to an Amazon wish list?
This Is What They Want is a universal alternative — it works with Amazon plus every other store. You can add items by URL, barcode, photo, or description. It also adds duplicate prevention, group gifting, and family privacy that Amazon's native wish lists don't offer.
Can I import my existing Amazon wish list?
You can paste any Amazon product URL and the item will be enriched automatically with a name, photo, and price. There's no bulk-import button today, but adding an item takes a few seconds per URL.
Does the Amazon wish list alternative work on my phone?
Yes. The web app is mobile-first and works on any phone, tablet, or computer. Viewers don't need to install anything — they just open a link or enter a passcode in their browser.
Is it free like Amazon wish lists?
Yes. Unlimited wish lists, barcode scanning, photo capture, AI item recognition, and passcode sharing are free forever. Premium plans add collaborative features like group gifting and a shared calendar.
Switch from Amazon-only to universal
Build one list that works with every store. Free to start, no credit card required.