{"id":2819,"date":"2015-12-08T00:42:29","date_gmt":"2015-12-08T05:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/gilt-a-vip-club-for-shoppers-of-flash-sale\/"},"modified":"2015-12-08T00:42:29","modified_gmt":"2015-12-08T05:42:29","slug":"gilt-a-vip-club-for-shoppers-of-flash-sale","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/gilt-a-vip-club-for-shoppers-of-flash-sale\/","title":{"rendered":"Gilt: A VIP Club for Shoppers of Flash Sale"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gilt Groupe<\/p>\n

Gilt is an online retailer that sells designer clothes and other luxury goods at deep discounted prices up to 70% off. It is a fast growing company founded by two HBS Alumnae right after recession. It has also expanded to luxury hotel booking under the name Gilt Jetsetter, luxury life style experience under the name Gilt City, and etc.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Time is everything.<\/p>\n

Gilt is build based on a flash sale model. Sales start at exactly 12PM from Monday to Saturday with a preview option beforehand to solicit interests. With limited quantity and deep discounted price, many shoppers were compelled to make quick decision on their purchases. The company smartly set the start time at 12PM, lunch break time, to attract its target customers\u2014high income women, especially working women who want luxury goods with a discounted price. The items on sales are refreshed daily to keep the excitement going. The website has consumers waiting in front of their screens everyday for the best \u201csteal\u201d.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is all about desire.<\/p>\n

On the website, a product is shown as reserved once the last piece is put into a shopper\u2019s shopping cart. And once the last piece is sold, the item will be marked as sold with the information of the product still available on the webpage. The regret of missing out on that 70% off Channel bag solicits desire from consumers to purchase. Consumers are more likely to buy another bag they spotted on the website without too much second thought. Gilt is essentially a sample sale website. Thus most of its goods come with only limited quantity or selected few sizes. Creators of Gilt smartly incorporate the nature of sample sales with limited time and competition between consumers to drive up sales. 50% of Gilt\u2019s revenue is generated within the first hour of sale.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Connection rules.<\/p>\n

Gilt serves as a bridge between fashion retailers and targeted consumers. Fashion retailers need to find customers who are interested in buying discontinued, off-season products or samples but have limited resources to open up outlet stores at every single corner on the street. Consumers want to get access to discounted luxury goods but either have no time to go to an outlet or does not live near one. Gilt\u2019s online platform offered shoppers an easy and convenient way to shop at sample sales and offered retailers access to a much broader customer base. The company has also recently launched global e-commerce shipping to 90 different countries, covering even more base.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is a club.<\/p>\n

The website uses simple black and gold design to resemble the feeling of a New York VIP club. Indeed, Gilt uses a member-based model. At the beginning, the membership was by invitation only. In order to shop, consumers must get an invitation and register as members on the website. Members also get rewards and discount by referring friends to the website. The social factor draws more people onto the website to shop. \u00a0Members advance to VIP level with more spending. VIP members get early excess to products, some additional sales, and other benefits. The exclusiveness and the community-feeling has maintained the luxury image of many brands on the website.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To the Future<\/p>\n

During its early days, Gilt enjoyed a big reservoir of post-recession excess inventory from luxury brands. Now as the luxury brands decrease their inventory and many other flash sale websites fight over it, Gilt has come up with new ways to survive the game. The company would often enter into a hold-agreement with retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks would agree on selling Gilt products at the beginning of the year to drive up\u2019s Saks\u2019 order volume from factories, and Gilt would have to hold off until the end of the season to sell the products. The company has also began to carry more brands and expand its business functions beyond clothing. \u00a0The company\u2019s large member base and the discounted luxury image will help Gilt differentiate from competitors.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/nymag.com\/fashion\/10\/spring\/63807\/<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.businessoffashion.com\/articles\/fashion-tech\/the-rise-stumble-and-future-of-gilt-groupes-business-model<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/smartceo.com\/how-gilt-groupe-doubled-down-on-its-core-offerings-and-cornered-the-u-s-flash-sale-market\/<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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