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Global recession or not, a subsection of the American public continues its love affair with shopping, and so do I. However, the not so hidden secret is that many of us have transformed into “recessionistas” who are on the prowl for fantastically significant discounts.
Last Monday, in part one of my four-part story covering members-only, online sample sales, it was identified that the recessionista elite feels less guilt due to the adoption of new shopping and consumption habits. As a newly-minted, hard core sales finder (acknowledging that I sometimes succumb to short-term impulses), I am constantly devising new strategies and time allocation plans for the new, members-only online sample sales sites. The obsession of maximizing impact and minimizing dollars spent is becoming a universal trend…even amongst the toniest of crowds in the Upper East Side of New York City, LA’s West Hollywood and San Francisco’s Pacific Heights. The doom and gloom of the current economic crisis is uniting us as glam sisters and brothers looking for deals.
Rather than buying at full retail prices, receiving 60 or 70% off of a luxury or high fashion item is quietly becoming the norm for those in-the-know in sample sales land. But most importantly, private sales superstars are now able to seek and focus on tangible deals in a time-efficient manner. Hallelujah for the recent birth of new digital shopping solutions, such as Gilt Groupe, which equally solve for time and money savings on the consumer side of the equation.
Let’s be honest - the obsession for finding a hot, new piece or accessory is a common plight of the modern day shopper. Considering the landscape, new apparel and accessories collections are constantly being rotated through retail venues – both online and in brick-and-mortar. Every few months a new collection is completed and dispersed to seekers and bystanders. Prior to the emergence of online private sales, liquidations seemed to geographically favor certain city dwellers or those who reside in out-of-the-way suburbs.
The other monumental contributor to the fab-seeking plague is the media and America’s obsession with escapism and Hollywood. Whether it’s on a plasma screen or within a packed movie theater, Hollywood’s crème de la crème are brilliantly packaging and selling glamour and an aspirational lifestyle to multi-generations. The aspirational lifestyle translates to an increased desire to shop and share the looks of our favorite heroines in Gossip Girl, 90210, The Hills, Sex and the City, etc. We all want that look and décor… regardless of age and social economics.
Longtime friends and innovators, Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson precisely understood America’s penchant for loving and wanting luxury and high fashion at affordable prices when they decided to launch Gilt Groupe in the Fall of 2007. (For the record, Gilt Groupe was the first members-only online sample sales site to launch in the U.S.) Gilt Groupe enables access, by invitation only, to Women’s, Men’s and Children’s fashion and luxury brands at prices up to 70% off retail. Due to Alexis and Alexandra’s professional experience in the online and luxury goods spaces, they were also keenly aware of the business needs faced by design houses and manufactures to find reliable and brand-worthy outlets for excess goods and liquidation allocations. According to Gilt, the company only receives merchandise from designer’s no-sale racks. Since middlemen are not part of the Gilt equation, members never face questionable merchandise. Today, sales at Gilt Groupe include noteworthy designers and brands such as Valentino, Michael Kors, Dennis Basso, Christian Cota, Alvin Valley, Behnaz Sarafpour, Luca Luca and Miss Trish of Capri.
Rather than merely creating a supply chain solution for high-end designers, manufacturers and emerging talent, Alexis and Alexandra’s divine creation, Gilt Groupe, is helping to redefine the online shopping experience in the luxury and fashion space. In less than a year, the dynamic duo has created a branded destination that is intriguing both industry insiders and Hollywood’s leaders. For example, in mid September, Susan Lyne, left her role as President and CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO), to join Gilt Groupe as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). At MSLO, Lyne played a key role in rejuvenating the brand and improving the company’s revenue and net profit. In addition to Lyne, all members of the Executive Team at Gilt Groupe have highly impressive professional backgrounds. Collectively, they are confident that Gilt Groupe is on to something very
