Gilt.com…a doll's dream maybe, but a smart shopper's nightmare.
I have always loved a good flash sale. I regularly peruse sites like Gilt, Rue LaLa, One Kings Lane and the like to see what they have got. I find these sites a great way to stay up on new trends and discover new designers. However, I do not always consider them a place to get a great bargain.
If you are a smart shopper and know your brands and you prices, go ahead and scour flash sales as a way to score a great deal on some high end piece that you would not be able to afford otherwise.
But, if you are regularly shopping flash sales as a pastime without doing your research - buyer beware! Sometimes that ticking cloak and the threat of a sell-out prevents you from doing your homework to see if you are really getting a good buy. And if you don't do that homework (otherwise known as google-it!) you can really get burned.
I saw a pretty watch on Gilt.com this morning from a designer I had never heard of. Akribos. The price seemed reasonable - $105 for a tortoise bracelet gold face watch - but all it took was 30 seconds for me to do a google search and find out that Overstock was selling that same Akribos XV!II watch for $89.99 AND Free shipping. Another benefit of Overstock.com - I got to see the loads of positive reviews for Akribos watches from satisfied customers. You don't get that on the flash sale sites.
Another "false" flash sale category that drives me nuts - kids toys. Melissa and Doug toys and games photograph well and sound great - it is an amazing company with a great story. But you never have to buy Melissa and Doug toys full price whether you are online or not. You can find these toys discounted at every Marshalls, Home Goods and even department stores. So the idea of them being a flash sale category drives me batty. Same with Kid Kraft. Those doll houses look impressive but just hop over to Amazon.com and find them for less than the flash sale price everyday - and get free shipping too.
Gilt.com wants you to spend $189 for this KidKraft Beachfront Mansion
Get it on Amazon for $143.
I used to work for an online retailer who once has the idea to add a countdown ticker to the top of the site during a sale. This idea was to constantly remind droppers that "time was running out" to get the sale prices and create this sense of urgency that would lead to increased sales. Well, it worked so well that 3 years later this site still counts down every sale. That is the Flash sale mantra. Create a frenzy and they will buy! But not you. You will google first and make sure you are really getting a bargain. Right?
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