A method for providing a gift registry in an on-line mall. Multiple communities within an on-line mall environment are provided, as well as multiple stores within each community. Each store is occupied by a merchant, with merchandise being directed to this community. The method further includes providing customer access to the multiple stores. The embodiment further provides for a gift registry, where the gift registry is associated with any of the multiple stores within one or more of the multiple communities, and access is provided to the gift registry to a registrant customer, so that the registrant customer can select merchandise for entry into the gift registry. Access to the gift registry is also provided to a purchase customer so that the purchase customer can select, for purchase, merchandise selected by the registrant customer. The purchase customer is provided with an electronic shopping cart to store the selected merchandise, for purchase, from any of the multiple stores within one or more of the multiple communities. A single check out is provided to process purchase of the selected merchandise, stored by the electronic shopping cart, from any of the multiple stores within the one or more of the multiple communities.