Shop for Baby
Almost everybody has a young person to shop for in their family or friends circle. Shopping for the little ones isn't always easy. Here are some tips I've come up with from the viewpoint of a relatively new mom. Stores are listed at bottom.
Choosing Clothing:
Always buy big unless you're told specifically to buy for the size that child is wearing at that time. That won't be very often, however. If a child is 1 1/2 years old it is often safe to buy 24 months to 2T. Knowing whether or not the child is particularly large or small for the age would help.
Make sure whatever you buy is returnable. This should be true for anything. That way if the parents don't like it, or it doesn't fit they have the freedom to return the item. Most stores allow returns without receipts for store credit only. Sears, Target, and many other stores offer gift receipts to ensure that the recipient gets the full value paid for that item when it is returned. IMPORTANT: Returning without a receipt means that the person gets only the most recent SALE price for that item. You may have paid full price for it, but they may only get the clearance value of the item (or sale price from last 30 days). You want them to get the full value, and you don't want to be cheated. INCLUDE A RECEIPT OR GIFT RECEIPT!
Choosing Toys:
Always keep in mind the age and gender you're buying for. You wouldn't buy a little tykes tricycle for a 6 year old (obviously), or a large mountain bike for a toddler. Those are common sense (DUH) type of things. However, some of the mistakes are much more subtle.
Don't be afraid to ask what the child likes. My daughter likes anything musical. Not every child does. Find out what the "in thing" is with that child and buy accordingly. If my daughter likes musical you wouldn't buy her a stuffed animal. Buy her the Twirlin Whirlin' Garden (for example). Try not to buy something they already have an abundance of. My daughter has an excess of 100 stuffed animals. She clearly doesn't need more, so I ask people don't buy her anymore. Common sense and a couple questions will go a long way.
Ask about appropriate themes. A lot of parents have one or two character themes they would REALLY like to avoid. Almost everyone has those, I think. Ours is Barney and Tellietubbies. We can't stand them and our daughter will not ever have any items pertaining to those characters. She's just as happy with Tweety bird.
Not appropriate
Certain gifts aren't appropriate unless specifically requested. No child likes to get underwear, socks, tooth brushes, and things of that nature. So unless the parents specify a need for those, I advise you to avoid such items.
STORES:
Stores I recommend you check for good prices and selections on children and infant items.