Greenfield on Gilt

post #106 of 135

7/15/10 at 6:19pm

SoCal2NYC
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Quote:

Originally Posted by gdl203

That's a decent experience. I did not realize one high end retail stores had 16 year old buyers.

wish i was still 24

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post #107 of 135

7/15/10 at 6:21pm

voxsartoria
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Quote:

Originally Posted by TRINI

It's times like this that I'm happy that Gilt refuses to ship to Canada.

Shall we send a flotilla?

- B

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post #108 of 135

7/15/10 at 6:30pm

mack11211

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As a side note, we can look forward to a thread on the SW&D side dealing with similar issues when Yoko Devereaux, a streetwear brand that closed last year, relaunches exclusively via Gilt. According to a message sent from yokod.com:

Quote:

Thanks to the love of Gilt Groupe, Yoko Devereaux is born again. Fall 2010. For 10 years, Yoko Devereaux had been, according to the New York Times, a brand that addressed the "need for semi-affordable cool-wear for guys coming to the city with an iPod and a dream." Andy SÃ¤lzer, founder, and creative director, delivered a brand that reflected the evolving culture in which the brand lived. This September, Yoko Devereaux will be available exclusively via Gilt Groupe (www.gilt.com). The collection will feature not only Yoko Devereaux's most desired items but also a few new additions. "Over the last few years, the relationship between designers and the customer has been completely turned upside down. Gilt, however, has been a leader in redefining that relationship. To have them believe so strongly in Yoko Devereaux is an honor," says Andy SÃ¤lzer.

Salzer and SoCal are good friends.

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post #109 of 135

7/15/10 at 6:36pm

jhva3

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

Are you buying because something says X% off or because you are buying it for $Y and you see it valued at what you want to pay?

If people did not do the above, then why would an internet retailer bother to make up fake retail prices?

Like I said, most of the stuff I buy, I am well aware of the value of, which is why I no longer buy anything expensive on Gilt.

Clothing is difficult to buy online. Gilt doesn't provide a lot of information. They sometimes don't even give the country of origin. The retail price, if it wasn't an outright lie, would help determine the level of quality of a given good.

Like a previous poster said, Gilt listed the retail price of a Zegna sportscoat at a certain value, and he expected the quality of a Zegna sportscoat that typically sells for that price at retail, but got a jacket that no one would ever sell for that amount.

When you say the "original price" of something is X, or something "retails" at Y, you are making a representation that the good was offered for sale elsewhere at that price. You can keep saying how stupid it is that people take that into account, but it doesn't change the fact that you are lying.

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post #110 of 135

7/15/10 at 6:44pm

SoCal2NYC
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Quote:

Originally Posted by jhva3

If people did not do the above, then why would an internet retailer bother to make up fake retail prices?

Like I said, most of the stuff I buy, I am well aware of the value of, which is why I no longer buy anything expensive on Gilt.

Clothing is difficult to buy online. Gilt doesn't provide a lot of information. They sometimes don't even give the country of origin. The retail price, if it wasn't an outright lie, would help determine the level of quality of a given good.

Like a previous poster said, Gilt listed the retail price of a Zegna sportscoat at a certain value, and he expected the quality of a Zegna sportscoat that typically sells for that price at retail, but got a jacket that no one would ever sell for that amount.

When you say the "original price" of something is X, or something "retails" at Y, you are making a representation that the good was offered for sale elsewhere at that price. You can keep saying how stupid it is that people take that into account, but it doesn't change the fact that you are lying.

All the Zegna blazers came from Saks.

If we are lying then so are Off 5th, Nordstrom Rack, Century 21, Last Calls, Barneys Outlet that have items produced for them.

I actually work in this industry and understand the concepts of pricing so if you want to start on how arbitrary something like mark ups, margins and production costs can be then go right ahead.

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post #111 of 135

7/15/10 at 6:51pm

jhva3

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Quote:

Originally Posted by OttoSkadelig

if individuals on a friendly community board tried the marketing tactics that MOST companies do, they'd be laughed off the board. but they are a company after all. marketing practices of most companies are designed for the middle of the bell curve. not the outer edges of the sartorial intelligentsia.

i am not opposed to the notion of showing a fictitious price, provided it's reasonable. it's a way of communicating value. i'm sure that a good 2/3 of gilt's suit-buying customers aren't super-savvy about what constitutes real quality and will use price as a proxy for quality. i also know that i'd never be able to find a fully-canvassed suit for $1000 LIST (let's not compare it to best-case scenarios where you unearth the holy grail on B&S for <$500, please.) so - if greenfield were to sell these suits through a retail channel - what would they cost - fair market value? i'm guessing that, in terms of quality, they are probably roughly similar to a canali. let's deduct a couple of hundred for the weaker brand. so we're up to a bit less than 1500 (keep in mind that a HALF-canvassed suit from hickey goes for 1200 or so). i'd be perfectly comfortable with gilt indicating something in the 1200-1500 range as a hypothetical retail price. (i will concede that 2000 is a bit OTT - neither gilt nor greenfield has the brand to command that.)

Fictitious price should be labeled as such. How is Gilt not a retail channel? What do you generally call a store that sells something to end consumers? The fact that it is on the internet does not cease to make it a retail channel.

You also can't compare prices of brands with storefronts and advertising to what is essentially a generic suit sold directly from the factory that you cannot return and you cannot try on. A Gucci suit costs approximately $2000.00. To even say that these suits could command that price is an outright lie.

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post #112 of 135

7/15/10 at 6:59pm

jhva3

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

All the Zegna blazers came from Saks.

If we are lying then so are Off 5th, Nordstrom Rack, Century 21, Last Calls, Barneys Outlet that have items produced for them.

I actually work in this industry and understand the concepts of pricing so if you want to start on how arbitrary something like mark ups, margins and production costs can be then go right ahead.

I don't know the industry, but I know that you are lying. I thought the other stores would generally use softer language for something that has never been sold at a given price(like saying manufacturer's suggested retail price), but I could be wrong. Also, at the rest of those stores, you can inspect the things you are trying on to see if they are good quality.

I think it was particularly audacious of you to admit that something was made for you and still pretend like it had an "original price."

Anyway, I guess it doesn't make sense to belabor the point. I am a potential customer, and I am turned off by the way you do business. I think that others are too. Apparently you are doing well enough that you are able to ignore our concerns and just laugh at the stupid sheeple who are willing to believe the lies you are telling. I am glad that it is working out for you.

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post #113 of 135

7/15/10 at 7:03pm

deveandepot1

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I bought the Greenfield blazer. I hope it works out.

I have seen the Zegna Blazers at Off 5th.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

If we are lying then so are Off 5th, Nordstrom Rack, Century 21, Last Calls, Barneys Outlet that have items produced for them.
.

This.
Gilt, all the outlets(Off 5th, Rack,...), factory stores(BR, Gap, J Crew) and the TJ Maxx/Ross/Marshalls... stores give made up prices. The only difference is how they word it. Some of them do "Compare at", "Suggested Price", "Seen For", "Original", and some of them just say MSRP.

Edit- Also, the Zegna Blazer sold on Gilt was not boxy nor super slim. It was a nice cut and for $350 was a great deal. If they had my size left during their final sale I would have bought 2.

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post #114 of 135

7/15/10 at 7:20pm

sfnapolifan

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

Really? Most of the Isaia sold on Gilt had to have the Saks/Neiman Marcus tags removed from them before they were shipped to customers.

Hmm, I'm surprised on that one--definitely don't see any evidence of that in the lining.

The Isaia was nice, don't get me wrong, but fabric was not in the same league as what I see at the local Neimans in SF. It was sort of a steel blue number in a S120s hopsacky ticketpunchy type of thing. I've seen the same suit make several apperances in successive Isaia sales--which made me think it was probably a made-for-Gilt item. Again, not unhappy with it in any way--other than for the fact that I saw some dbag wearing the same suit at a conference--and definitely feel I got a great deal on it.

I think what people are failing to appreciate is that these are not diffusion line items. The manufacturers want money, obviously, but their mainline standards are still likely to remain largely in place even with items made for Gilt.

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post #115 of 135

7/15/10 at 7:22pm