• When we launched Gilt in November 2007, we had grand plans for all the different luxury sales we could capture on our site. From the start we always wanted to sell luxury travel — hotel rooms and adventure, at a discount. 
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• So we got to work on Jetsetter, and last month the site got its very own tab on our navigation bar. Your Gilt Groupe sign-in will give you access to Jetsetter and its very special sales. 
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• To tell you more about how it works and why it’s so exciting, I’m going to hand you over to the inspired force behind Jetsetter, creative director Amy Ziff and CEO Drew Patterson. They really do bounce ideas off each other!
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• Sincerely, 
• Susan Lyne
• CEO
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• Amy: Thank you, Susan. Hi, Drew. Tell me, how does Jetsetter fit the Gilt family? 
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• Drew: Gilt attracts fashion trendsetters and tastemakers, most of whom also like to travel. Providing them with unique travel ideas and opportunities seems obvious. I thought with Jetsetter we could make vacation planning easier and trips more affordable.  ... Read more

• We’re always trying to make Gilt Groupe better, but today we rolled out our most important upgrade to date.
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• When you signed in this morning, you saw a new navigation bar with fresh tabs for Gilt Man and Gilt Fuse. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and you’ll see an improved sales calendar so you can pinpoint your favorite designers’ upcoming sales without leaving the page. We’ve made shopping easier with a single cart and checkout for all our departments. And now you can click through to Jetsetter, our new luxury travel site. ... Read more

• Ever since Gilt Groupe launched in 2007, we’ve worked hard to perfect the art and science of shopping. And one of the happiest surprises since we opened our virtual doors has been to discover how much men have enjoyed the site.
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• Anyone who has ever watched a couple in a department store knows that men and women like to shop differently. That’s why we launched Gilt Man, our latest store designed especially for guys. ... Read more

After years of singular devotion to my BlackBerry, I finally succumbed and bought an iPhone this week. What tipped the scale? Our new iPhone app. The Gilt on the Go app gives you unlimited access to Gilt sales, no matter where you are. The functionality is flawless, the personalization is first-class, the picture quality is stunning, and the user experience surpassed even my expectations.

The key to scoring the styles you want on Gilt is entering sales right when they start. With Gilt on your phone you’ll receive real-time sales alerts, one-click access to your favorite categories, and when you find something you like, you can check out in less than a minute.

Gilt on the Go offers non-stop access when life gets in the way. Browse, navigate and enjoy our new app – no invitation necessary. The download is free, and so is the membership. I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it.

Sincerely,

Susan Lyne
CEO
Gilt Groupe 

• We love a rumored scandal as much as the next person, but we found ourselves on the wrong end of that guilty pleasure this week when a post on fashion blog Vie Society questioned whether we misrepresent the value of goods. The writer had seen a cashmere scarf for $128 on Gilt (original price: $300) then found it at Neiman Marcus retailing for $195. By the time it hit our radar, it had spread across the blogosphere like swine flu: Scarfgate!  ... Read more

Gilt Fuse is finally here! With more fashion for more occasions at even lower prices, Fuse has styles to suit every moment of your life. We think you're going to love it.
 
We're launching today with Kova & T, Generra and Modern Amusement, three great brands that will give you a flavor of what's to come. We'll round out the week with footwear from New York-based label Kelsi Dagger on Thursday and downtown favorite LaROK on Friday.
 
For the next month, only current Gilt members will have access to Fuse, so we encourage you to explore, shop around and tell us what think. Fuse is still a work-in-progress and we need your feedback to make it every bit as addictive as Gilt. You can reach us here.
 
After months of anticipation, we truly hope you love Fuse as much as we do!
 
Explore Gilt Fuse.
 
Susan Lyne
CEO
Gilt Groupe
 
P.S. Fuse is tailored exclusively for women, but you can still shop for menswear on Gilt.

We like to take our cues from our members. You've asked us for fashion you can mix and match, more styles, for more occasions and even lower prices.
 
So we've created a new destination, Gilt Fuse, which launches on Wednesday, August 12. If you'd like a hint of what's to come, please click here.
 
At launch, Gilt Fuse will only be open to our current members. In the fall, we will go out to new Fuse members, but for now it's just for you. Officially, this is a soft launch, but we'd prefer to think of it as a fashion preview. As always, we are eager to know what you think. As you navigate the site, please send us your comments and suggestions. I can promise we will read each and every one.
 
We'll be launching with three sales the first week and will build to five the week after. Kova & T, Generra and Modern Amusement will lead off, and we are thrilled to have them as our launch labels.
 
Gilt Fuse is a venture we have been working on for some time. The art direction is fresh. The styling is perfect. We are genuinely excited to share it with you. All of us at Gilt hope you enjoy shopping on Gilt Fuse and that it answers your call for affordable, effortless style.
 
Sincerely,
Susan Lyne
CEO
Gilt Groupe

As a frequent Gilt shopper, I am well aware that navigating our consolidated sales has been….let’s say “less than optimal.”  You’ve weighed in on this issue often enough that I couldn’t bear the idea of hosting another Final Sale until we had a more elegant solution.

I’m happy to report that last week we released a much-improved consolidated sale interface that allows you to see all featured brands while you shop, and to filter all sale items by size and category with a single click. We’ve timed these changes to coincide with our upcoming Final Sales, so please join us this Wednesday, July 8th for the Men’s Final Sale, Thursday July 9th for the Women’s Final Sale, and Friday July 10th for the Accessories and Children’s Final Sales. And don’t forget to let us know what you think. We’ll keep tweaking the format and functions till you tell us it’s “just right.”

We are glad that last week’s changes to the Cart and Sale pages have garnered such positive response.  Our tech and product teams have a lot more in the works, both big projects and small fixes, to enhance your shopping experience.  Most of this work will begin rolling out in two-week intervals beginning later this month, but we did implement one of your requests this week –– a Back to Top link so you no longer have to scroll manually up Sale pages. (We realize that every second counts when shopping on Gilt.com!) You will find the Back to Top link at the bottom of every product listing page for sales with more than three looks.

And….we are hosting our first Sunday night sale this weekend on June 7th at 9pm ET.  ... Read more

Over the last seven weeks we’ve heard from you on a range of topics – from requests for better shipping options to more information on sizing.  But no issue has generated more posts or as much vehemence as those on “cart hoarding.” A few of you asked us to reduce the amount of time items can be held in a member’s cart, but the vast majority urged us to keep the ten minute time limit and instead cut the number of items that can be held at any one time.

The message was strong enough and consistent enough to get our attention: As of Friday evening, May 29th, the number of items you can hold in your cart will change from ten to five. You will still be able to hold items for ten minutes before making a final decision on what to purchase. There will, inevitably, be sales where every item seems to be scooped up in a matter of minutes but this change should help keep inventory in play and allow more of you to add to cart when the sales open.

At the same time, we are adding new messaging to the sale pages to alert you when all the items in a particular style are “In Members Carts.” When items are released back into inventory the message will clear. This will save you a few steps while shopping Gilt sales.

We hope these changes will improve your shopping experience. Let us know what you think – as always, we love hearing from you.

One brief note before I address returns: we’ve received many comments and e-mails asking us to post models’ height and the size they are wearing, so you can better determine the fit of an item. We have now added this information to the product detail page and hope it will help you make the right choice on future purchases.

Even with the best information, there will be times when an item doesn’t work for you. When that happens we’d like to make the return process as seamless as possible. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

We accept returns on apparel and footwear that is unused, unworn, unwashed, and undamaged. Return items should be posted no more than 14 days from the ship date. You’ll receive an e-mail notification from us when your item ships so keep this date in mind in the event you decide to return it. The process is simple: just click on the My Account Tab, select Return an Item, select the item or items you wish to return and print out your shipping label. We offer free shipping on returns so there is no need for postage.

Once we have received your return a credit, less the original shipping costs, will be issued to your account and can be used towards your next purchase with Gilt Groupe. We do not issue a direct refund. Returning items in their original packaging (hangers, polybags, hang tags on garments, shoe boxes, dust bags, eye glass cases and/or gift boxes) will help expedite the credit process.

If you are returning an item because of fit we are happy to exchange it for a larger or smaller size if it is available.

We do not accept returns on certain items. To view a complete list you can click on this link:
http://www.gilt.com/support/faq/

If you feel that you have an item from this list that is exceptional in some way and should be considered for return please feel free to contact our customer service department at (877) GILT-NYC (877-445-8692) or email us at support@gilt.com.

Our return policy can always be viewed on gilt.com by simply clicking on FAQ’s at the bottom of the page.

 

 

 

Our customer service representatives have been fielding a lot of calls about when items will ship and why certain items take longer than others, so I thought I’d try to address shipping timelines this week.  Our warehouse team expedites orders as quickly as possible but there are a few factors you should be aware of that will effect the timing of your delivery.

In most instances, the inventory for a sale is in our warehouse before the sale opens and can be sent to you within a couple of days. In some cases, however, we don’t receive the product until after the sale. There are several reasons for this: sometimes a brand wants to tightly control their inventory and deliver only as many items as we have sold; sometimes it’s because the brand has agreed to let us sell more inventory than we have purchased and the overage is sent to us when they know what’s been sold. This process can take several weeks.

When inventory is not in stock we will message this in the product detail page so you know before making your purchase when the item will ship.  To make sure you are aware of the shipping lag, this same message will appear on the cart page, the checkout page and the e-mail order confirmation as well.  Until this month, any order that included an item not in stock was held until the full order could be shipped. We heard from many of you on that policy (many, many of you!) and to address it we are now splitting orders:  any in-stock items ship immediately; the balance is shipped once we receive it, at no extra cost to you.

You can check to see the status of your order in My Account.  If your order has shipped you will see a box icon on the right hand side.  Items with a checkmark indicate that the order is confirmed but has not yet been shipped.

One last note: delivery timelines were not the only shipping concern we heard about. We read a lot of posts about shipping costs, especially as they apply to small items. While I don’t have a solution to report yet, please know that we heard you and that we are looking for ways to offer multiple shipping options in the future.

 

Dear Members,

This past week many of you posted about missing “Invite a Friend” account credits. We checked into each case and found that in every instance it was a simple misunderstanding of the credit system. Here’s how the account credits work and how you can track them.

You have two options for inviting friends to join Gilt Groupe.

1. You can send invitations through the Gilt Groupe site. If you click on the Invite Friends, Get $25 box it will take you directly to an invitation page where you can enter your friend’s e-mail addresses, post a message, and hit send.

2. You can also create your own personal link by clicking on My Account (at the top of every page just left of center).  Once you access your account page you will see a Personal Invitation Link option on the right hand side. Your personal invitation link will read something like this: www.gilt.com/invite/susan. It uses the nickname you have created for the site as your invitation link. With this link you can easily ask friends to join by e-mailing, IM’ing, using Facebook, MySpace or simple word of mouth.

To track your credit activity, go back to My Account and click on Sent Invitations. Here you can see whether your friends have joined, clicked to learn more about the site, or if they haven’t opened your e-mail at all. If your e-mail is unopened you have the option of resending.

One thing to keep in mind is that just because you have invited someone doesn’t necessarily mean that they will join with your link. They may join through an outside promotion (i.e. magazine article) or through various blogs that have their own links. Sometimes they even contact Gilt to request an invitation directly. Please be sure to remind your friends to join through your link!!

Once your friends and family have made their first purchase the $25 credit will post to your account. Credits are recorded once a day, usually in the evening.  Remember, the more members you refer the more credits you gain. You have a full year to use your credits. 

One more note: I want to address a post about SPAM e-mail that suggested we might be “selling” our e-mail lists. I can assure you that Gilt Groupe has not sold your information to any third parties; we closely protect your information and only work with partners who follow these same guidelines. If you are receiving SPAM e-mails it is in no way linked to your being invited to join or to signing up as a Gilt member. Please note that if you would like to manage the emails you receive from Gilt, you can click on the Settings link under My Account and request that you only be sent emails regarding sales you are interested in. Feel free to contact our customer service department if you have any more specific questions.

 

Dear Members,

With the site more stable, we were able to release a “split orders” feature this week to address one of your concerns.  Members who place orders for items with different shipping time frames will now receive their in-stock items immediately.  The balance of the order will be shipped to you as soon as we receive it, at no extra cost.  We will also ship any jewelry items separately to ensure they arrive intact, again at no extra cost.

We got a lot of questions and comments last week about the “waitlist” function. Here’s how it works:

Waitlist allows you to be notified when an item is returned to general inventory. That happens when a member cancels a purchase, returns an item for sizing reasons, or when we’re able to secure additional inventory from a brand. The waitlist queue is first-come first-serve.  E-mail notifications are sent to one customer at a time based on their position in the queue.  Once you receive the e-mail notification you have 3 hours to place the item in your cart and purchase it before the next member in the queue gets an e-mail. You should take into account that the e-mail notification may take a while before showing up in your in-box.

Waitlist is a great feature (I got a favorite dress this way so I know it works). But during peak hours, I still recommend refreshing the page as a quicker and surer way to capture an item if it is released from a members cart back into inventory.

One last thing: while many of you have praised our customer service reps, we read a number of posts last week expressing frustration over delayed response times.  This is a recent issue, brought on by the overwhelming number of contacts logged during the Christian Louboutin and Final Sales.  Our customer service team is working overtime to get through the backlog and we hope to get back to each and every one of you shortly.  We continue to grow our customer service team with informed, courteous, and detail-oriented people who can deliver the kind of service you’ve come to expect from us.

I continue to be amazed by how invested our members are in Gilt Groupe. All your comments, both positive and negative, are a key factor in helping us address trouble areas, so please keep those comments coming!

First things first: your messages last week were thoughtful, eye-opening, informative, smart….and hugely valuable. What started as an appeal for your patience while we addressed site issues turned into the feedback loop we all dream about. You told us why you love Gilt, what frustrates you, what kind of information you’d like and what information you need, and how we could make the overall shopping experience better. Your blog posts and emails were read, forwarded, attached to memos, and turned into agenda points for meetings this week. I can honestly say that you are VERY present in our offices these days!

I want to continue that dialogue in this space, letting you know what we have in the works and getting your feedback early enough to impact our development. We have near-term projects underway to make incremental but important improvements to the site, and a much bigger project that will make gilt.com faster and more stable, even on days when we have Christian Louboutin shoes for sale!

One common theme in last week’s emails was the cart. ... Read more