Gilt Group

#241
I don't usually read this sub-forum so hopefully this thread is appropriate here...

Its become painfully clear to me that I have a problem with Gilt Group and I need an intervention! Although I have really loved being exposed to new designers at low prices, I'm thinking about banning myself from this site at least temporarily. Basically, I'm unemployed right now and I really have no excuse for buying new clothes and stuff that I probably won't wear until I'm employed again. I currently have like 6-10 items I've gotten there that I have not actually worn/used yet, and I just ordered like 5 more things today. I was primarily using it to buy work clothes at a good deal instead of driving way out to the closest good outlet mall nearest to where I live to get my work clothes at a good deal.

So I'm trying to convince myself to cancel my membership and stop getting the e-mail alerts and de-like their Facebook page--basically go cold turkey! I'm worried that I will start having withdrawals every day at 11:55 AM and I'll end up going back to the site anyway at least to see what the sales for the day are...And then I know I would end up being tempted by something! I'd like to cancel at least until I'm working again.

Has anyone else canceled their Gilt or RuLaLa, etc., accounts because they got too out of hand with spending? I'd like to hear your stories... I definitely need some support if there are any other Gilt addicts in the house! If I do it, I'll probably keep my RuLaLa account open as a consolation as I order from there much less frequently.
 
#242
I feel your pain but not with Gilt, I'm a student and currently not working. Before I went back to school, I had subscribed too pretty much all shopping sites, so when I resigned from my job, I unsubscribed to the majority of the sites because I know the emails will tempt me. However, I am still struggling...I just started school again, I relapsed during my school break...until I am stress out from school again, I will be on TPF most of the time and look at shopping sites...sorry but I'm no help....
 
#243
I've not cancelled my accounts with these sites since I do not use them very often, but if you're unemployed and money is tight, it's time to tighten the belt and do whatever you need to in order to not shop, including asking a friend/family member to change your passwords so you can't get in. Sorry, but I feel like this needs to be said, and I understand that shopping can be an addiction, but if you have no money, what's the point of buying useless items that will only rack up credit card debt? Not worth it IMO, make sure you're busy from 11:55 onwards so that you won't think about logging into Gilt!
 
#244
These sample sale sites can be very dangerous because of the sale prices and the short amount of time the items are on sale for. I had a slight obsession with Gilt last year, so I just stopped looking at their e-mails and going on the website, unless I knew they were having a sale on one of a select few designers that I absolutely love and would make an exception for.

After a while, it got a lot easier for me to not go on the website. I did relapse a little recently, because I ended up returning something, so I had a credit that was burning a hole in my pocket. My willpower with these sample sale sites has become a lot stronger now though. I realize often times that there are other things I would rather spend my money on. Since you said that money is tight at the moment, you should hopefully be able to prioritize what you should and should not be spending money on and try to stay away from these sites for the time being. I know it can be hard, but good luck and stay strong!
 
#245
jeNYC I am a student too, and right now I need to be focused on writing my Master's thesis rather than buying pretty things, but I definitely use shopping as a de-stresser.

digby thats a good idea to try to be busy/not in front of my computer at 12PM. I should be at the gym instead.

kelbell thanks I think it will be really hard! I don't want to cancel it completely because I'm afraid I will miss something really great, and Gilt does sales on some designers I really love that are hard to find in my area. I was thinking about giving myself a limit every month that I can spend, but that hasn't worked very well in the past when I've tried it. Money is tight, but not nonexistent, but I know this stuff is definitely not a priority right now!
 
#246
Have a friend place parental controls on your browser so that Gilt is password-protected and blocked? I know there are ways to get around that but it might help stop the temptation for a while. Meanwhile, make it a habit to spend less time online (not saying that you are always are) so that it makes it easier to shop less.

Remember, it might seem like you might be missing out on sales but essentially you do not need those clothes/bags--especially if you don't use them!
 
#247
It's funny, and I don't think this will help with your situation because this only helped me because I'm so stupid on the computer(have yet been able to post a picture on TPF despite how badly I want to). I use to have a problem with Gilt on my itouch but then I got a laptop and found the site so much harder to navigate it took all the fun out of ordering. The other thing I did was sign on late so all of the good stuff would be waitlist, that way I could only get it if it became available, by that time I would have had time to decide if I really wanted it and if it became available I would take it as a sign that I should have it.
 
#248
When I got a blackberry, I dropped all my email updates -- the 'berry was exploding. I haven't missed them. If one or two slip through, I delete them unread -- I need a break after all the holiday shopping. Internet shopping has been made so easy, especially if they take paypal -- just click. I did a lot of that while I was home sick before the holidays because I was bored.
 
#249
I was thinking about this thread I started awhile ago in the money subforum and that it kind of applies to your addiction to Gilt. http://forum.purseblog.com/money-ta...l-addiction-fast-path-credit-card-646759.html Something that I posted there was "they utilize the exclusivity selling point in their items. They try to get buyers out there to worry that there is only X amount in stock, so that they buy the item before it's gone since they might not ever have the chance to get it again. And it's not just home shopping networks, online retailers like Overstock or Amazon do the same thing! Then the buyer is left buying something because they think they want it because there aren't very many of them left, but will probably not really use the item they bought." I think that this applies here, you want to buy because there are only X amount in stock. The website is pulling you in due to it's exclusivity that the products will only be there for a short time frame, and that at that price, you might not be able to find them again, hence why you want to purse. Maybe if you're able to recognize these marketing tricks, you'll be better off in staying away. :smile:
 
#250
jujuma yeah whenever I sign on late my size is always sold out so that is definitely a helpful tip!

digby I am such a sucker for the "exclusivity" marketing ploy... The funny thing is that I have quite a bit of education in marketing tactics so I SHOULD know what to avoid, but I fall for almost every major well-known trap.

I'm definitely going to try 1) not being at my computer at noon; 2) deleting the e-mails on my blackberry before reading the sales and 3) taking the link off my browser toolbar and 4) trying to take it "one day at a time" as they say, I'll see how that goes for awhile!
 
#252
I had the a similar problem, just not with Gilt. I would buy things and then not use them. I would buy them because it was such a good price, I loved it, whatever. One day I was going though my closet and pulled out everything that had a tag on it or I purchased and had not gotten around to using. Seeing it all laid out on the bed and thinking about all the money that was wasted, really forced me to think about what I had done. I'm on a ban now. I was going to try for one year, but it was too much. I'm now allowing myself one purchase every 3 months. It was hard the first two weeks, really hard. But now I see the marketing and commericals as a way to lure people in with. I feel better about things now. Good luck.
 
#254
I like them better than Ruelala. They ship faster and reply to email quickly. Refunds are processed quickly. I just wish they let you have a choice of account credit for credit in original form of payment like Rue.
 
#255
I also just got rid of a TON of clothes, donated like 8 huge garbage bags of clothes to the Salvation Army, so I feel like I'm giving myself the excuse of "but I just got rid of so much stuff" that its OK to buy more even though that totally defeats the point of getting rid of things! Also the things I got rid of were clothes from like 10 years ago that were in bad shape and/or didn't fit anymore, so its not like they left gaping holes in my closet! I'm going to try to convince myself that if I don't wear something new after a few weeks I should sell it on ebay or consignment, but then at least its not a total waste of money!

Good news though, I've stayed away from Gilt for 2.5 days now and haven't even gone on to check my last order status!
 
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