For the on-the-go fashionistas or the consumers who don’t want to leave their cozy living room couch during the arctic-like Amherst winter, here’s a way to incorporate discount designer, one-of-a-kind vintage apparel and chic accessories into your wardrobe, décor into your home, and travel into your calendar all via online retail sites.
Rue La La
RueLaLa.com
Former Dolce and Gabbana intern and UMass Amherst resource economics senior Lindsay Hirsh said, “Rue La La is easy to navigate and has great deals. You can find designer pieces that are extremely inexpensive and still in season.”
Description: Rue La La, an e-commerce invitation-only site, launched to provide higher status items at a more reasonable price in men and women’s apparel, travel, and home. The site features a wide variety of boutiques open for 48 or 72 hours, with the option of receiving an email notification when new ones begin. Rue La La refers to their brands as boutiques, which open when new designers are brought in.
Designers Sold: This internet destination offers over 400 brands. Previous apparel boutiques include Tom Ford, Betsey Johnson, Badgley Mischka, Ebel, Juicy Couture, Elie Tahari, Missoni, Valentino, and Vince. Whether cruising to Costa Rica or purchasing a four-night package in a Honolulu, Hawaii hotel, Rue La La offers numerous travel deals. Home boutiques range from Michael Kors sham, duvet, sheet, and towel sets to Vermont Teddy Bears to Steiner Sports Memorabilia.
Number of Members:This e-commerce site has accumulated more than 1.2 million members.
Refer-A-Friend Policy:Rue La La awardsyou with a $10 credit whenever a friend you invite places their first order.
Why Use Rue La La: Access this website from any mobile device and from downloadable applications via iTunes. They allow returns up to 30 days from the day you received the item(s). Also, boutiques from the past do return in case you missed out the first time.
Gilt Groupe
GiltGroupe.com
“I’ve gotten great deals on stuff through Gilt,” Moira Ceconi, industrial and labor relations graduate from Cornell University’s class of 2010 said. “I bought a clock, makeup, clothes by American Apparel and Lucca Couture, and jewelry by Alex and Ani. I prefer Gilt because I’ve gotten a number of referral credits.”
Description: Invite-only e-commerce site Gilt Groupe “provides access to highly coveted products and experiences at insider prices,” according to their website. The site features items like women’s, men’s, and children’s apparel, jewelry, accessories, and luxury travel packages, and home decor items on a daily basis. Gilt Groupe holds daily sales that last 36 hours with discounts up to 70% off.
Designers Sold:Apparel brands offered include, but not limited to, as there are several hundred, DKNY, BCBGMaxazria, Free People, Leroy & Perry, Rebecca Minkoff, and Joie, hand bags from Furla, and jewelry from Alex and Ani and Chan Luu.
Number of Members: As of Spring 2010, Gilt Group has over 2 million members.
Refer-A-Friend Policy: Members receive free shipping for every 10 friends they refer.
Why Use Gilt Groupe: The Gilt Groupe site states that they incorporate eco-friendly practices into every aspect of their business. They also offer a waitlist, so if another member has an item in their shopping cart, but ends up not following through with the purchase, others receive the opportunity. Each member has 21 days to return clothing and footwear for store credit. Access Gilt.com from your smartphone for on-the-go updates.
Ideeli
Ideeli.com
“I use Ideeli because it has a mix of high-end designers and good basics all at a great price! I have these awesome cat-eye Chloé sunglasses that I wear all the time and gold LnA leggings for Mardi Gras both from Ideeli!” said Tulane University sophomore education major Sydnie Henkin.
Description: Fastest-growing, members-only, online retailer Ideeli implements new brands daily and features 40-hour long sales on apparel, accessories, home, beauty, and travel at discounts of up to 80% off. Weekly giveaways, different from the sales, debut sporadically and last up to 7 hours. Ideeli notifies its members via email and social media when a sale begins.
Designers Sold: Ideeli offers over 600 brands such as Kenneth Cole, Steve Madden, Anne Klein, BCBGeneration, So Low, Magaschoni, Nine West, and Hale Bob.
Number of Members: The site has over 3.3 million members.
Refer-A-Friend Policy: Members receive a $25 credit for each friend who makes a purchase.
Why Use Ideeli: As of October 2010, the site released “coupons for products and services in New York City,” according to InternetRetailer.com’s senior editor Allison Enright. “Also in October, the company launched The O Shop, a section of the Ideeli site that sells products featured in Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine,” according to Ideeli.com.
Shop It To Me
ShopItToMe.com
New York University senior dramatic writing major Christina Drill “received a Shop It To Me invitation last night and already bought booties,” adding “This is the best invention for lazy shoppers!”
Description:Shop It To Me “checks close to 200 retailerseach day for sales on women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, shoes, and accessories,” Shop It To Me Director of Marketing Tamra Feldman said. “You tell us what’s important to you: specific brands, categories of clothing and accessories, and your sizes, and we work as your free personal shopper, scouring the web to find the best prices on the items you love,” said Feldman. “Based on your preferences, we create personalized email alerts that feature the latest markdowns, secret promotion codes, and even VIP sale events. In 2008, we rolled out Shop It To Me Search, a website where you can browse through all of the deals currently available which matter to you.”
Designers Sold: Featuring over 700 brands, Shop It To Me sells items from “Gap to Gucci, and everything in between,” said Feldman.
Number of Members: Shop It To Me obtained 4 million members to date, mostly females ranging from 20 to 45.
Refer-A-Friend Policy:Members receive a $10 gift card to the store of his or her choice when 10 friends sign up.
Why Use Shop It To Me: “Use Shop It To Me to save both money and time. We are a free online personal shopper. You get to be in control as you pick the brands, sizes, how often you want updates, and we do the rest. We let you know when items that match your preferences go on sale,” Feldman said.
HauteLook
HauteLook.com
Mount Holyoke College junior history major Jane Maglaque uses HauteLook “because there are good deals on luxury items and it’s easy because you don’t have to go to stores.”
Description: HauteLook, an online retailer offering 48-hour sale events to members only, provides affordable shopping in this economic recession. “The retailer’s members enjoy amazing access to premium men’s, women’s, and kid’s apparel and accessories, top home labels, beauty and skincare products, and travel destinations at discounts of 50 to 75 percent off every day,” according to HauteLook Marketing Communications Associate Katie Hammill.
Designers Sold: This online retailer sells over 1,300 brands from Herve Leger, BCBG, Elizabeth & James, and Tommy Hilfiger to Laura Mercier and Stila makeup. The Venetian in Las Vegas and the Mayflower Inn in Connecticut are just some of the travel destinations offered.
Number of Members: HauteLook surpassed 3.6 million members in the U.S. and Canada.
Refer-a-friend Policy: “We offer $10 referral credit when a friend you refer makes their first purchase,” Hammill said.
Why Use HauteLook: Friday sales often extend past the 48-hour mark, as they last throughout the weekend. HauteLook also offers an iPhone application. The site accepts returns on footwear and apparel within 21 days from the day your order was shipped.
2010’s e-commerce retail additions
Modnique
Modnique.com
“I just took a look at this new site and can’t wait to register. I might even put my first pay check from my winter break job towards it,” said senior UMass Amherst hospitality and tourism management student Stacey Shapiro.
Description: Members-only website Modnique hosts two to three day-long designer sales from 50 to 85% off on brand new merchandise including apparel, jewelry, and accessories.
Designers Sold: Luxury brands include, but not limited to, Hermes, Calvin Klein, Paris Hilton, Ed Hardy, Dolce and Gabbana, Gianni Versace, Missoni, Chinese Laundry, Gucci, Pravda, Valentino, Mont Blanc.
Number of Members: According to QuantCast.com, Modnique has about 20,000 members worldwide.
Refer-A-Friend Policy: “You will get $15 in credits for every friend who signs up with Modnique after clicking on your referral link and makes a single purchase of $100 or more. You will also get $10 in credits for the friends of your friend who spend $100 or more at Modnique.com on a single purchase. And if their friends become buyers, you will get another $5 for each buyer who spends over $100 on a single purchase and is connected to you by third degree,” according to Modnique’s website.
Why Use Modnique: Members can return an item up to 30 days from the day it was shipped.
And now for a steer in another direction: one-of-a-kind vintage pieces
PinkClouds for Grey Days
PinkClouds.com
“PinkClouds is a great shopping experience. The selection of vintage clothing is phenomenal and I love checking out the ‘style with’ feature!” said Antonia Thompson, a senior associate at Robert Burke Associates.
Description: PinkClouds.com, which just launched three months ago following fashion week, “is a fashion and designer vintage e-commerce site”, founder Jennifer Collins said, that includes “e-commerce, a style section, a blog, and weekly curated sales of both vintage and current season products to reflect current trends and demonstrate how pieces can be incorporated into one’s wardrobe.” Products offered include “a sophisticated mix of vintage and modern designs, including ready to wear, jewelry, handbags, and accessories,” added Collins. “Our site is geared towards a fashion savvy customer who loves unique pieces, a sense of discovery, and is adventurous with her style.”
Designers Sold: Here’s a peak into just some of the available designers: Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Givenchy, Hermes, Miriam Haskell, Bill Blass, Fendi, Ungaro, Halston, Christian Dior, Gucci, Kenneth Jay Lane, Missoni, Judith Leiber, and many more. Best sellers include the Ikat Clutches and vintage accessories, specifically handbags and jewelry.
Number of Members: In the short time PinkClouds has existed, they’ve accumulated about 400 members.
Refer-A-Friend Policy: Members receive a $25 credit for each friend they refer who makes a purchase.
Now that you have all the info, you’re ready to shop! What better way to spend lazy days than surfing the net for awesome clothes and even better deals? The best part is, it’s all only one click away. Happy Shopping! :)