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Are Vacation Sample Sales In Our Future? Gilt.com Hints At New Site

July 24, 2009 at 9:39 AM | by | Comments (4)

Update 08/11: Racked.com reports that the new site is called "Jetsetter" and is accepting pre-launch sign-ups here.

Could we be on the verge of purchasing travel in an entirely new way? If the founders of the uber-successful upscale sample sale website Gilt Groupe have anything to say about it, choosing and purchasing your vacation will become an adrenaline-fueled, timed transaction that mimics the way their fashion site works now.

We just happened to be at last night's Racked.com panel discussion on the future of retail, where Alexandra Wilkis Wilson of Gilt divulged their plans to move beyond selling discounted designer clothing overstock and into the world of selling hotel rooms, vacation home rentals, and trip packages. They will be luxe, of course, and "ski chalets" were especially named.

So how will Gilt go about convincing a frugal public to purchase travel in an online sample sale fashion? As Gilt operates now, their online sales are limited to one day of a few designers, all with limited stock at discounted prices and all quickly swiped up.

As far as we know, the Gilt Travel site isn't even in Beta, but when it is up, how will they manage to balance the daily time-sensitive sales with a healthy stock of alluring and super discounted vacation packages? Perhaps they'll go the special occasion route, such as releasing a sale on so many Valentine's Day packages, or New Year's. And there's always the temptation of an all-inclusive weekend in Paris.

There's potential for greatness in this idea, considering how Gilt already has over 1.2 million members and manages to sell $12,000+ diamond jewelry sight unseen and with no returns allowed. Don't get your AMEX out just yet though, the travel site has no release date; we're just giving you the heads-up that change is afoot in the way we go online to purchase travel.

Related Stories:
· Gilt Groupe [Official Site]
· Shopping Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Gilt Groupe]

Comments (4)

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link

the gilt groupe link is wrong, you're missing the "http://"
Clarke Thomas on July 24, 2009 at 1:04 PM #Permalink

whoops

All fixed, thanks! The link in the story was correct.
JetSetCD on July 24, 2009 at 2:51 PM #Permalink
Parent

Behind the E-Curtain at Gilt

On the gilt site right now, the best way to score is to sign on right away, load items in your cart and buy before the item is sold out. For more on Gilt.com and their future expansion plans, see http://guerillashopper.blogspot.com/2009/07/behind-e-curtain-at-giltcom.html#links Nancy Brenner, Guest Blogger, GuerillaShopper
purplechacha on July 26, 2009 at 12:04 PM #Permalink

Jetsetter's Open!

You can join here:

http://www.jetsetter.com/invite/william

William M on October 12, 2009 at 5:33 PM #Permalink

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