It used to be that you’d have to score an “invite” or be handed a card on the street, trek to some downtown warehouse and dig through racks of clothes, bags and shoes to score a great deal on designer duds. Thrifty fashionistas like myself (and now I’m truly dating myself) know this as the “sample sale.” As time ticked on and shoppers turned more to online and less to malls and sidewalk stores, it’s no surprise the sample sale concept has moved to the web, as well.
These popular e-commerce events — known as “flash sales” — started popping up a few years ago and they were an instant hit due to their limited-time-only discounts on everything from designer dresses and shoes to high-end fashions and home decor. Not only could you get items for much less than you could in stores, it created a sense of urgency to be sure those black patent Louboutin platforms you wanted weren’t sold out in your size before you added them to your cart. While you don’t have to receive an invite to be in-the-know, you do have to sign up to be a member.
I recall being one of the first members of both Gilt Groupe and Rue La La and setting a reminder in my BlackBerry to check those emails daily as they came in. Sitting at my desk at a broadcast marketing firm in New York City, I’d nearly break out into a sweat waiting for that chime to alert me to a new email, then anxiously clicking to see which brands they’d feature that day. I’d wait with baited breath for those aforementioned shoes with the red soles or a stellar deal on a Louis Vuitton handbag (much to the chagrin of my credit card bill). Not getting what I wanted that morning was an instant day-ruiner.
Nowadays, flash sales have moved into other categories beyond designer, to just offer great deals in general. You can get everything from pajamas, to dog toys to tableware, plan your next weekend getaway and yes, even Botox injections. Amazon has even dipped its toe in the water, with its massively successful “Prime Days” and Prime Day Deals.
But before you start subscribing, there’s a few tips you should make note of.
How to Best Shop Flash Sale Sites?
We went to Financial Coach Thomas Creel, of Creel Financial, LLC for some tips:
- Do your homework. Ensure you use a price comparison app like ShopSavvy to confirm that the item is not being sold cheaper somewhere else. Sometimes these sales can be sneaky and not necessarily offer you the best deal.
- Make a plan: Before the flash sale, write down what you are interested in buying. Usually, the site itself or its previous days’ eblast will tell you what’s to come. Sometimes the time pressure of the flash sale causes us to buy things we weren’t even planning on purchasing so this prevents those impulse purchases (and regrets).
- Use a rewards credit card that offers cash back when buying the flash sale items so you save even more.
- Set a dollar amount per week that you can spend on flash sale items. This will ensure you don’t overspend and blow your budget.
- Pay attention to the shipping costs of the item, if you can get the item cheaper on Amazon with free shipping vs. the flash sale price plus paying for shipping costs.
- If you find yourself over-shopping and overspending and want to scale back for a bit, hit the unsubscribe button. That way, you’ll be forced to actually go to the site to see what they’re offering that day, instead of the temptation flooding your inbox.
Here are the latest flash sale sites that you should consider checking out, especially if you have high-end taste on a bargain budget.
1. Beyond the Rack
Specializing in apparel and accessories. Beyond the Rack is a private shopping club that has items for men and women, as well as children’s clothing, toys, beauty and home goods. It offers top brands like Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Marc Jacobs for up to 80% off to those who sign up. Plus, you can tap into your inner supermodel with their curated fashion blog.
More about Beyond the Rack: Beyond the Rack is a Montreal-based online shopping company that offers clothing, accessories, fragrances, electronics, home goods, beauty and home decor products. The company was founded in 2009. In 2014, it had 10 million members, comprising the largest free Canadian private shopping club.
2. The Clymb
Specializing in sporting goods. Outdoor enthusiasts, The Clymb has your sporting-gear needs — and wallet — covered.
More about The Clymb: There’s a world of adventurers out there, and if you’re one of them, you can get up to 70% off retail prices on outdoor gear, apparel and even adventure-travel trips. Kilimanjaro, here we come! The Clymb provides free insider access to the best gear and apparel from premium outdoor and active-lifestyle brands. If you hike, run, ride, paddle, race or ski and if you’re inspired by the great outdoors, you’re going to love being part of their community. An insider explains, “if you want to find a deal on something that you need without wasting your time checking the site everyday, just look out for their emails.”
3. Gilt
Specializing in luxury apparel and accessories. Gilt is considered the forefather of all the flash sales as it was one of (if not the) first. “By leaning into a niche market of luxury gifts and providing them at amazing prices, Gilt has become a fantastic place to shop,” says Bryan Philips, CMO at In Motion Marketing, a full-service marketing firm that helps transform businesses into brands. The site boasts everything from fashion and home goods to fine food and travel.
More about Gilt: Launched in 2007 and at one-time worth over a billion dollars on paper, Gilt is considered the grande dame of flash sales. Eventually sold to Hudson’s Bay Company, it’s now housed under the same umbrella as its once competitor Rue La La. These days, Gilt has pivoted from just flash sales, offering full-price merchandise and (non-flash) discounted items, in addition to daily deals.
4. Groopdealz
Specializing in clothing, shoes, jewelry and kids’ goods. Groopdealz is known for fun, low-budget finds — so your haul won’t empty your wallet. The site offers “boutique-type” items for the entire family, at up to 70% off retail.
More about Groopdealz: The brainchild of a group of moms sitting around a kitchen table, Groopdealz sets itself apart from other flash sites because of its lower price point. You may not find name-brand merch, but you will find cute, fashionable clothing, jewelry and shoes to outfit your whole family.
5. HauteLook
Specializing in fashion for the whole family. Women, men and kids’ apparel — HauteLook has it all and it’s all on trend, as well as beauty, shoes and home decor. HauteLook is a member-only shopping website offering flash sales and limited-time sale events featuring women’s and men’s fashion, jewelry and accessories, beauty products, kid’s clothing and toys and home décor. HauteLook offers discounts of 50 to 75% off retail prices with new sale events every morning. Get even further discounts by checking out our monthly coupon codes for the site.
More about HauteLook: This site is Nordstrom’s foray into the world of flash sale sites, founded shortly after Gilt emerged onto the scene. The CEO has called HauteLook a “West Coast–casual” company, so expect the products, like sophisticated floral dresses and organic skincare products, to reflect that aesthetic, and items you would typically find at Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack. With new events launching every day at 8 a.m. PST, something new is sure to catch your eye.
6. Jetsetter
Specializing in travel deals. Warning: Wanderlust is inevitable. Jetsetter provides insider deals, unique experiences and thoughtful insights to its members, allowing them to book with ease and confidence wherever and whenever they choose.
More about Jetsetter: Owned by TripAdvisor, this travel search engine was founded to give you insider access, expert knowledge and exclusive experiences. Score hotel rooms or travel deals at a discount, and get those cherished nuggets of practical advice from travel writers who’ve been all over the world.
7. Joss & Main
Specializing in home design. Find the highest-quality houseware, furniture, decorative accents, lifestyle accessories and gifts. According to Money Inc, in order to shop at Joss & Main, you must first become a member. “There are two membership options, but the premium option is an excellent value for the cost. The membership program is called MyWay. It’s easy to enroll with the completion of an online form. You also submit your payment of $29.99. This will be a fee that recurs annually, so for just under $30, you can gain access to a host of home shopping services that are intended to make the task fun, easy and convenient,” the site explains.
More about Joss & Main: If home design is your jam, you’re likely familiar with Joss & Main. And did you know it’s owned by online home giant Wayfair? Featuring vintage wall art, mid-century modern furniture and traditional accents, the site’s inventory is carefully curated. Your living room won’t look like your neighbor’s — it’ll look better! Oh, and for more convenience, they also have an app.
8. Lot18
Specializing in wine. Count on Lot18 to find the wines that offer more bang for your buck. Experts, mainly former sommeliers, curate high-quality wines from around the globe for you to buy at the best-possible prices. It’s kind of like an online tasting room.
More about Lot18: Founded in 2010, by two men who’d already each had successful tech start-ups under their belts, the duo knew it was onto something. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or a newbie, you can try something new each month. Each wine is offered for a limited time, or until all available quantities have been purchased by customers. Lot18 also has a monthly wine club (wine to your doorstep? Sign me up!) and fun collections you can buy — like the perfect pairings for your “Bachelor” viewing parties. Cheers!
9. One Kings Lane
Specializing in discounted home goods, decor, furniture, rugs and lighting. Offering goods from top-notch brands, One Kings Lane also has vintage pieces for a truly one-of-a-kind buy. Launched in 2009 as “invite only,” it grew by leaps and bounds and was acquired by home superstore Bed, Bath and Beyond in 2016, and then sold again, in 2020.
More about One Kings Lane: This is definitely the site our designer friends mention when we tell them we’re looking to spruce up our house without going broke. One Kings Lane groups items by style (Modern Ease, Coastal Charm, Parisian Chic, etc.) so it’s easy to find goods that match the vibe of your home. If you still need a little help, you can consult with a designer for free!
10. Rue La La
Specializing in home decor, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. This online boutique marketplace is curated daily with the best of the best in women’s, men’s, and kids’ fashion, home decor, travel experiences and more. Founded in 2007 as another forefather of the online flash sales, Rue La La quickly grew to more than 30 million members.
More about Rue La La: Shopping on Rue La La is an adrenaline rush: There’s a countdown clock that shows how long a boutique is open and then another countdown clock once you put something in your cart (so there’s no squatting on that TUMI carry-on). If you love the thrill of a good deal at up to 70% off, bookmark Rue La La. Here’s how you can get 10% off as a new member and 1% cash back.
11. Shop It to Me
Specializing in fashion and accessories for men and women. Think of Shop It to Me as the site that scours all the other flash sale sites for you. You plug in your size and preferences, and the daily shopping email alerts you of items handpicked just for you.
More about Shop It to Me: Too busy to spend hours online seeking out the biggest bargains? This site does the work for you. Tell Shop It to Me your favorite designers and your clothing size, and you’ll be alerted when those items go on sale and more. Easy-peasy.
12. zulily
Specializing in sample sales for moms and kids. What started as a sample sale site geared towards moms, has morphed into so much more (thanks to its joining with Qurate Group, which owns home-shopping giants QVC and HSN.) New sales start daily at 6 a.m. PST, with up to 70% off on the brands you (and your kids) love. Home shopping fans will also rejoice that you can now find discounted items from all your fave QVC & HSN brands, too.
More about zulily: Were you overwhelmed by the supplies needed for your first baby? Alums of the popular online jeweler Blue Nile launched zulily after they experienced this feeling of falling into the baby-product abyss. They’ve since expanded beyond baby products, and the site deserves props for its well-curated selection of high-quality brands. It’s important to note however that there is a fee for shipping, which sometimes makes the item cheaper elsewhere, such as if you have Amazon Prime. Some items can also have slow shipping time so don’t shop if you’re in a rush for the item.
13. Chirp
Specializing in limited-time deals on audiobooks without subscription fees. Get daily recommendations on popular audiobooks, including New York Times bestsellers, and save up to 95%.
More about Chirp: Love books but overwhelmed by the amount of titles out there or don’t want to get locked into monthly subscription fees? Chirp offers you daily deals on hundreds of audiobooks. No subscription required! Just create your free account, tell Chirp what types of books you like, and browse hand-curated lists for your specific listening tastes.
14. Groupon
Specializing in goods, services and entertainment in your local area. I’ll admit it, I’m a Groupon-aholic. Everything from family holiday-themed matching PJs (which I scored for a couple hundred less than I usually spend for six sets!), to $20 concert tickets and discounted spa treatments (yes, even Botox injections!), I check their daily emails so I can make sure I’m not missing any of their great deals. We even used the site to get a discount for the kids to go to summer camp last year.
And did you know you can even use it to score deals on getaways? “Nothing kills holiday planning mood quicker than seeing how expensive travel is,” says Rose Ackermann, Editor-in-Chief of Family Destinations Guide. “Groupon Getaways is a game-changer, offering discounts of up to 50% on hotels, excursions and even complete travel packages,” explains Ackermann. It’s important to note though, that some of the deals have an expiration date, of say six months, and others come with additional taxes and fees so be sure to read the fine print before you commit.
More about Groupon: Based in Chicago and launched in 2008, Groupon is an American global e-commerce marketplace connecting subscribers with local merchants by offering activities, travel, goods and services in 15 countries. Many items like travel and concerts come by way of vouchers, much like a virtual coupon. Other items, like goods, get drop-shipped to your home.
15. Fashion Nova
Specializing in the latest fashion trends for men, women and kids. Keeping up with fashion can be a full-time job–and paying for the latest trends certainly requires you to have one. This is where Fashion Nova comes in. The American retailer has taken the e-commerce world by storm and earned endorsements from the very people who set fashion trends like Kylie Jenner. If you haven’t seen the Fashion Nova brand plastered across Instagram and virtually every other social media platform, the retailer is known for bringing the latest trends in flattering styles for all body types (hello, curvy denim) all at affordable price points.
While Fashion Nova already offers trendy pieces at a fraction of the price, it is one of the best places to shop flash sales. To stay on top of the latest Fashion Nova promotions and gain first access to flash sales, sign up for Fashion Nova alerts–and score 10% just for doing so.
The post The Best Flash Sale Sites to Shop for Absolute STEALS appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
