Stop buying the same gift twice
Twish avoids duplicate gifts through reservations: once someone reserves an item, it shows as unavailable to every other guest, while staying hidden from the wishlist owner so the surprise is preserved.
Duplicate gifts happen because gift-givers can't see what others have already bought. A reservation system fixes that without needing a spreadsheet or a group chat vote.
How reservations prevent duplicates
- 1A guest opens an available wish and selects "Reserve gift."
- 2They confirm with just an email — the item instantly shows "Reserved" to everyone else.
- 3No identity or details about the reservation are shown to other guests, or to the owner.
- 4If plans change, the guest can cancel, which makes the item available again for someone else.
Two cousins, one gift
Two cousins both open the same wishlist link a week apart. The second one sees the item already marked "Reserved" and picks something else — without either of them needing to check with the other first.
Want to understand why duplicate gifts happen in the first place, beyond just Twish's fix? Read the full guide to avoiding duplicate gifts
Frequently asked questions
- How does Twish know a gift hasn't already been bought?
- Every reservation is recorded the moment a guest confirms it, and every other visitor sees the current "Reserved" or "Available" status in real time.
- Can I see who reserved a gift on my own wishlist?
- No — reservation identities are always hidden from the wishlist owner, by design, to protect the surprise.
- What if someone reserves a gift and changes their mind?
- They can cancel the reservation from "My reservations," which immediately makes the gift available to others again.