The love of fashion and shopping is something people are born with. It's almost like a birthmark. A shopaholic birthmark. For years fashionistas spent time and money shopping at department stores, boutiques, and malls. The bargain hunters of the cult were cast off to dark corners filled with messy (and daunting) racks where they had to meticulously comb through hanger by hanger in search of the perfect AND discounted item. It was a harsh fate.
Fortunately for all of us, born bargain hunter or not, shopping for discounts has become much easier. It's not just because we were hit with some of the toughest financial times in decades, it was also time for a change. Finding that flawless item with perfect fit, high quality, and the right amount of trend (read: not dated by the time it hits 40% off) is still a lucky find, and every brand has major items that will never get marked down. The key here is that if you just have to have something, you should get it when you find it because odds are if you are that emotional about it there are a thousand shoppers on your tracks who will feel the same way. If you're just shopping to feed the addiction, however, there's a place for you. Consider it a type of rehab. The remedy: discount shopping sites. This business model hit the fashion world in 2007 with Gilt Groupe - an invitation only shopping site that brought the sales you wanted to see right before your eyes. Initially they took excess inventory that hadn't moved at full price, or after the first markdown. Once a customer was invited they had the ability choose the brands and product categories they wanted to be notified about. Gilt Groupe defied the bargain basement aesthetic and opted for a luxe looking black and gold theme. Their product looked elevated, and everyone wanted to be a part of this elite shopping club. Three years later they are, not only innovators, but fashion industry tycoons. Gilt has developed strong partnerships with hundreds of covetable brands, which ensures that their daily sales have something for everyone. They have done a fabulous job, but they have some competition.
The Outnet - Net-a-Porter's discount sister. They are new to the scene, but they are a close second to Gilt Groupe from a shopper's perspective. Net-a-Porter.com has always been know for selling high end fashion at high as the sky prices. The outnet gives their girl a break, and lets a more aspirational customer join their universe. They boast similar brand partnerships and an elevated shopping experience like their competitor Gilt Groupe, but they also run contests. The contests are like an ebay bidding session consolidated into just a few hours. As if that didn't already do the trick for developing a customer base, their contest emails also have an "add to outlook" feature so you can be sure not to miss it.
Rue-LaLa - not as luxe as The Outnet or Gilt Groupe, but Rue-LaLa works with a range of brands from high street to semi-high fashion. They're worth a sign up.
Ideeli - Ideeli has been in the running for about three years now as well. They work with commercial brands and offer steep discounts of up to 80% off. They are a bargain hunters best friend. You'll find long time brands like Lacoste and Nicole Miller, as well as newer and lesser known brands like Jarbo. This is a great site, but shopper beware: you won't find the Jason Wu dress you've been coveting all season on this site.
Can't wait for the email with that day's schedule to go out? Sale shopping search engines have also been developed. So instead of searching for a black dress in the black hole that is google, enter that search into like.com or shopstyle.com for a targeted search that will also allow you to specify search criteria like size, price, brand, and silhouette.
Happy shopping.
