A product information system for selecting, monitoring and purchasing of products in a retail establishment includes a product selection device, a data processor, a registry retrieval device, a point-of-sale data input device, and a host computer. The product selection device identifies desired items selected by a registrant and routes the desired items to a registry database on a host computer. The data processor is adapted to communicate with the product selection device to thereby collect the desired items selected by the registrant and route the desired items to the host computer. The registry retrieval device is configured to retrieve updated registry data from the host computer in response to a request from a purchasing customer. The retrieval device has an output unit for displaying an updated list of items in the registry database. The point-of-sale data input device identifies desired items which have been purchased by a customer for routing to the host computer. The host computer has a storage unit for maintaining the registry database and a data processor for processing selection and purchasing transactions. Thus, desired items consecutively selected by the registrant are added to the registry database to create a registry list, and desired items purchased by the customer are associated with the registry database to create an updated list reflecting the purchase of said desired items.