Zola updates platform as wedding season approaches

Another digital wedding registry is freshening up its offerings in preparation for the spring.

Zola is unveiling a number of new digital features and services, including a new chat feature in its mobile app called the Zola Registry Advisor. The advisor provides couples with mobile, one-on-one wedding planning and registry assistance.

The retailer has also expanded its assortment to feature a curated selection of over 100,000 products from over 1,000 brands. Couples can sync existing registries and add gifts from anywhere with the "Add to Zola" button. Artificial intelligence (AI)-equipped planning tools enable users to set up a registry with personalized recommendations based on a couple's interests, ideal price point and guest count. 

In addition, couples can choose when their gifts ship or make a virtual return. Furthermore, Zola will help couples keep track of who bought which gift and then order customized thank you notes.

Other features and benefits include a $50 referral program (for both the referrer and their friend), customizable cash and honeymoon finds with seamless direct deposit, free shipping and free returns, a 20% post-wedding completion discount, and free bonus gifts.

"We live and breathe registry. We've spent years listening to our couples, solving for their pain points, curating the best brands, and building benefits that only we can offer. That's why over 1 million couples have chosen us, and why we're the go-to registry for 2020 couples," said Shan-Lyn Ma, CEO of Zola.

As the spring wedding season approaches, retailers have been launching digital wedding offerings. These include a new suite of wedding planning tools from David’s Bridal, as well as a new wedding registry platform from Bed Bath & Beyond dubbed “Your Registry, Your Way.” Zola itself recently launched a partnership with Macy’s making an assortment of the department store retailer’s private-label items available on the Zola site.