Housing Works Gilt Groupe Sale

This was from yesterday, but let's just assume that it's still on today at the Housing Works on 9th Ave....

The big picture story is that Housing Works is having a summer clearance sale and there is a Gilt rack marked down at each store.  You could even say they are Gilty.

Gilt Groupe is the World

Gilt Groupe is the World’s Most Innovative Fashion Company (so says Fast Company magazine)

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V-Day Special from Gilt Groupe - Free Shipping Today Only

If you're not a member of Gilt, you can sign up here: http://www.gilt.com/invite/gsnyc

Behind the E-curtain at Gilt.com

Yes!, more from Nancy Brenner:

I'm a die-hard in-person sample sale shopper, but was super curious about the inner workings of one of the most popular online sample sale sites - Gilt.com. I am also one of their 1.2 million members.

Tonight I learned shopping secrets from gilt.com's Alexandra Wilkis Wilson at a Gilt fest at the Tribeca Y: "Put as much in the cart as you can" akin to a real life sample sale where you need to grab as much merchandise as possible and decide later. And "Refresh, refresh, refresh." Any serious sample saler already knew that. C'mon Wilson, what's the online equivalent of a "Friends and Family" sale?

What's the most expensive item that didn't sell? A $23,000 diamond bracelet. Ca Ching.

What doesn't say "sold out" within minutes, but sells "incredibly well?" Fine jewelry, which can cost thousands of dollars. I was surprised since I was wondering who would spend thousands of dollars to purchase a piece of jewelry , without seeing how earrings frame your face or exactly how a necklace falls across your skin - plus the added pressure of final sale. Because of the expense and final sale policy, Wilson did note that shoppers do their research and take the time to share it with significant others, parents, friends, etc. before buying.

What's next for Gilt? What's not next for Gilt? In the Fall, expect the launch of a travel site that will sell cool niche summer rentals and ski chalets. For fashionistas without sugar daddies to foot the bills, or a C-suite position and paycheck to match (my observation), there will be Gilt Fuse which will be "our own version of Barney's Co-Op." Colleges and big-tent schools can expect big time attention from Gilt since Wilson describes them as target customers. Also Gilt has been selling "nothing too big, nothing too heavy, nothing breakable" home items once a week. This will increase to daily. But crystal and china shoppers need not despair, Gilt will soon be selling those too.

Why don't you see certain brands on Gilt? "We are like an airport in a weird way." We only have a certain number of slots and can't sell every brand they want to sell. It could be the collection isn't deep enough, or the price negotiations didn't work out, says Wilson.

Gilt fun facts: Zac Posen was the first "get," and one of the first 10 brands to sell was her eye doctor's sister who married Judith Ripka's son. Super-fast sellouts - Laura Mercier (I failed to sign in right away and was locked out of this one myself) and Louboutin.

Gilt can decide to cap membership if they want to at a certain point. Or, they can select to sell their merchandise in a number of different ways, if they chose to - they can sell specific brands to targeted customers, sell only to certain parts of the country, or decide to only target 5,000 or 20,000 if a designer doesn't want wide exposure.

Worldwide domination?
In March, they launched in Japan with a localized team and approach and have 200,000 members - so far.

Will they have enough merchandise as manufacturers cut back, go into bankruptcy or disappear? Will shoppers still open their wallets no matter how high unemployment numbers climb? Can frugalistas resist a bargain?

We are all...Guilty!

The customer is back in vogue!

Why is there a resurgence in customer service in the "invite only" retail sector when sales numbers for traditional stores are hitting rock bottom and even malls are renegotiating their leases.? In the last ten days, two online "invite only" sample sale houses are seeking to seduce customers not only with prices that are paltry compared to retail, but enticements of customer service. Online retailer, Gilt, proclaimed, "Tada! A Better Way To Shop Consolidated Sales." And, in an e-mail admission, the CEO says, "I am well aware that navigating our consolidated sales has been….let's say 'less than optimal'. You've weighed in on this issue often enough that I couldn't bear the idea of hosting another Final Sale until we had a more elegant solution."

When was the last time you heard that from a CEO of any type of company? According to today's Wall Street Journal, Gilt just landed an additional $40 million in funding from Matrix and General Atlantic. Valued at $400 million, Gilt is planning to expand its offerings. Their revenue is expected to hit $500 million in 2010.

Gilt is even soliciting additional feedback offering, "We'll keep tweaking the format and functions till you tell us it's 'just right.'" Where are the rest of the retailers? Why has it taken so long for the retail industry to notice its customers?

Another player in this invite-only space, Rue La La, asks its customers if they are having an "ooh la la moment?" They launched several new initiatives creating an easier shopping experience by making a significant change in their shipping policies. They are offering free returns on shipping and now customers don't have to pay twice if they order more than once during the same day before a 10 pm EST deadline. This week's wares includes everything from name brand clothes to pots to watches. Although they were overcrowded this week and needed to shut down the site for the better part of the day. This reminds me of the good old days when Zappos first started.

These two online invite only sample sale purveyors are taking the customer service piece seriously. According to the "Customer Experience Blog" by Bruce Temkin, Vice President & Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, this attitude adjustment will reap revenues. Temkin analyzed data on customer loyalty and how that can affect revenue. The bottom line is that investment is customers are a key revenue booster.

Some key findings:
o The difference in loyalty between companies in the top quartile of customer experience (when measured against industry averages) and the companies in the lowest quartile:
- 14.4% more customers willing to buy another product
- 15.8% more customers reluctant to switch
- 16.6% more customers likely to recommend

o Temkin also examined the revenue change from a 10 point increase in a firm's Customer Experience Index. It results in a $284 million change for every $10 billion in revenue (average across 12 industries):
- Additional purchases: $65 million
- Reduction in churn: $116 million
- Word of mouth: $103 million

Temkin's bottom line: Customer experience is a great investment. Apparently both online retailers agree and are investing in their customers.
.........................

By Nancy "when I'm not shopping I'm writing about shopping" Brenner

Work Hard For the Money at Gilt.com

There appears to be more postings nearly every day for all types of jobs at Gilt.com - about 50 right now! "The private online community dedicated to providing its members with access to coveted fashion and luxury lifestyle is always looking for incredible people with the talent and passion to change the way we shop for luxury items online."
A sampling of nearly 50 openings:

Assistant Buyer - Men's, Senior Financial Analyst (Corporate Finance), Customer Support Associate, Inventory Control Analyst, Women's Accessories Buyer, Assistant Controller, Director, Creative Services, Flash Designer, Men's Buyer, Jewelry Buyer, Men's Lifestyle Assistant Buyer, Women's Contemporary Assistant Buyer, Exchange Server Administrator, Customer Support Manager, Business Analyst, Director of Consumer Insights, Senior Project Manager, AP Supervisor, Director of Merchandising - Home, Jr. Accountant - AP, Technology Audit Manager, Accounting Project Manager, Buyer, Home, Assistant Buyer - Home, Postgresql Database Administrator, VP, Technology Operations, Director, Merchandising: Premium Products, Director of Web Applications, Proofreader, Art Director, Manager of Data CRM, Senior Accountant - International/New Business, Financial Analyst, Director of Security, Software Release Engineer, Quality Control Associate - Jewelry...PHEW!

Good luck if you're looking for a new job, or a career change. Share these with friends. And imagine the employee discounts!

Report from Cynthia Steffe Sample Sale

From the Guerilla Shopper's Guerilla Shopper, Nancy Brenner:

Let me tell you about the fabulous Cynthia Steffe sample sale - I bought five items for $75 including a black patent leather jacket that still had the $550 tag hanging from it and the dress was $265 from the holiday collection. It will be a holiday for me next year when I rock this $15 frock! These are not recession prices. These are depression prices. There were tons of people on line waiting to get in this morning - even in the torrential rain and the women were hemming and hawing about hitting Tracy Reese, Catherine Malandrino, the Spade sale, etc. It was one of the most hectic sales I've ever been to - hardly anything except for coats and leather was more than $25. Women walked out with whole wardrobes. The mirror situation was tight - only four and hard to find - hogged over by a few women - as is usually the case in these situations. Two were totally hijacked by groups of friends or frenemies and acted as if they brought the mirror with them to the sale - you know the type. Again, if you are the sample size, go to the sale in-person, otherwise hit the Gilt Group one online.

A report from the front (To sample sale online or brick and mortar?)

Another re"tale" provided by the prolific Nancy Brenner:

I feel like I won the sample sale lottery last night. I must report that I snagged the Michelle O cover of People Tracy Reese pink eyelet kimono for a mere $50 at a garmento sample sale . It retailed for $395. A true sample sale price. Only the week before, Gilt, where I have a credit following an errant purchase, had an online sale and I compared the wares. Many of the items I saw at the sample sale were also online, but at substantially higher prices. Why shop online? If you're not a sample sale size, you may be better off buying online where you know you can get your size in 30 secs without the hassle and hustle of getting there in person. And even though sample sales are starting earlier (a good number now at 8 am and some open until 9 pm - formerly unheard of), it may still be hard to get to given your work schedule, parenting or social commitments since it's almost summer (even though it feels like a London fog one at that). If you're an out-of-towner, online still works unless you want to use your vacations for mini-shopping trysts to New York for sample-sale packed weeks like this one where you can catch Shoshanna, D&G, Catherine Malandrino, etc..... The deals online are still good compared to full-on retail and hand to hand combat at Berdgdorf's, but they are not steals compared with brick and mortar. And the shoes were a mere $45 - why don't they start the line with a size 5? Petite feet need to be shod too! Even men were snapping them up, presumably as gifts. I've noticed way more many men at women's sales - without any women in tow - are they shopping for themselves, a girlfriend, or to flip it on eBay? And please stay away from the dressing rooms! Readers, what say you on online versus in-person?

Gilt Groupe & InStyle Join Forces

This is so not interesting, but since I'm trying to entertain myself...here you go:

Gilt Groupe*, Inc. and InStyle today launched a partnership offering millions of savvy consumers exclusive access to Gilt.com sales previews - an online first, available only at InStyle.com. This is the first fashion magazine partnership for Gilt.

InStyle.com now features a Designer Sales shopping area, powered by Gilt Groupe. Exclusive previews of future sales are now available up to a week in advance on InStyle.com. InStyle.com will offer Gilt Groupe members real-time links to sales as well as weekly special offers, which could include monies off, percentage off purchase or free shipping.

*Gilt Groupe (www.gilt.com) provides access, by invitation only, to Men’s, Women’s and Children’s coveted fashion and luxury brands at prices up to 70% off retail. Each sale lasts 36 hours and features hand selected styles from a single designer.

Marc by Marc Sale on Gilt.com: Tomorrow at Noon

OK so apparently the Chloe sale on Gilt.com that I mentioned before was already over by the time I mentioned it. So, to make it up to you I had the following link created for you so that you can become Gilt Groupe members and get some Marc by Marc action at noon tomorrow (Sept. 24, 2008): www.gilt.com/guerillashopper.

The above Broderie Anglaise Dress, for example, retails for $368 and sells on Gilt for $138.

Recession Shopping

So unless you live under a rock, you are painfully aware that the world is trying to endure the worst economic turmoil since the great depression (that's a really long time ago for you yoots). So while large chain stores like the wretched Steve & Barry's, The Gap, etc. continue to close stores or report negative growth, it seems that some of our friendly neighborhood shops are thriving. I have been told by a few of my NYC boutique friends, such as Les Nanas and Anna, that this past summer was their most lucrative ever. Shocking, isn't it? Is it because they are having sales? Better merchandise? Better customer interaction? More European (or at least non-U.S.) capital flowing to specialty shops? What could it be? I still don't have my answer, and probably never will, but I am happy that in some sectors of the economy, those who deserve to be making good money are doing just that.

Oh, and for some so-called recession busting sales, check out the Chloe ruffle blouse on Gilt - on sale for $198 (usually $695, which is completely mental and proves the world is screaming for an "adjustment.")

Gilt Groupe

Did I mention Gilt Groupe recently? Gilt Groupe provides fashion enthusiasts online access to designer fashion from top brands at sample sale prices. You’ll find apparel, accessories and jewelry for women, men and children at prices up to 70% off retail.

And now I have a customized Guerilla Shopper link by which I can invite you to become a member:
Www.gilt.com/guerillashoppernyc - just click and sign up!

All items are guaranteed to be authentic and sourced directly from the brand. This week Gilt is featuring designers such as Amrita Singh and Ports 1961 to "it girl" brands like Philip Crangi and Charlotte Ronson. All sales will be up to 70% off retail and available only at www.gilt.com.