You're so jealous

Gilt.com totally messed up my Vena Cava order and I got a refund for the shirt. How very, very annoying. But... I just scored this really cute Rag & Bone boat neck tshirt dress in it's place. You know you want it.

Confederacy

I started this post searching for a picture of the Vena Cava Sheer Text Blouse, which I purchased off Gilt.com this past Friday. (Man, technology and shopping addictions are so wicked when you can shop online via your iPhone in a moving vehicle, 2 1/2 hours from your home. Love it!) I cannot wait to get this blouse!!!

Anyway, I was searching for jpegs of the shirt when Google Images directed me to shopconfederacy.com - an L.A. based store founded by actor Danny Masterson and his stylist friend Ilaria Urbinati. What a neat little shop they have and WHO KNEW Danny Masterson has an interest in clothing. Check out the shop, it has neat labels like A.L.C., Vena Cava, Kova & T, Marc Jacobs, Modern Vintage, Phi, Earnest Sewn, Current/ Elliot, Steven Allen, Alexander Wang, Tom Ford, Rag & Bone - who apparently designs the staff uniforms each season, and many more designers. My shopping is limited right now but I wonder, do they ship to Canada?

::: Nathalie

Gilt Fuse

Alright peeps, I'm sure you're all sick and tired of hearing me bitch about Gilt Groupe, but here we go again. They're launching a shiny new shop tomorrow - Gilt Fuse - that will focus on womens contemporary fashions. It'll be interesting to see how it will differ from the original Gilt site when the shop goes live for the first time tomorrow, Aug 12th, at noon.

Click here - http://www.gilt.com/invite/nathalieshible - if you need a Gilt Groupe invite. Happy shopping and please - share with us if you purchase anything! I would love to live vicariously through you.

::: Nathalie

Don't You Want My Money?

I've voiced my opinions about this in earlier posts, but now it's really beginning to annoy me.

For those of you who are not familiar with Gilt Groupe, it's an exclusive, by invitation only, on-line shop for luxury brands. They carry women's wear, men's wear, accessories, handbags, footwear, housewears and children's clothing on weekends. Sounds good? Well it is. The sales are spectacular and let me tell you, it is kind of exciting buying clothes on a first come first serve basis (their sales start at noon each day).

The Problem: they haven't been accepting international credit cards since the beginning of this year. I used to shop on Gilt with my Canadian credit card and have my orders sent to my uncle's place in Miami. Those days are now long gone.

I was contacted by a representative from Gilt back in April to explain their security policy and why they can't accept international cards until they get their legal process straightened out. Blah, blah, blah.

Since then, I have called Gilt customer service numerous times to ask when they will once again allow us non-American's to shop on their site. I always get the same response: "We're working on it. Canadians are at the top of our priority list. We're hoping to have it fixed soon." Blah, blah, blah.

For a shopping addict / bargain hunter such as myself, this isn't very consoling. Especially when I see the brands on the site getting better and better with every passing day. Vena Cava, Tibi, Rag & Bone, L.A.M.B., Psycho Bunny, Helmut Lang for men. It hurts to look at!

So all I have to say is, hurry up Gilt Groupe and stop being so prejudice towards your non-U.S. shoppers. My hard earned cash is just waiting to be spent on your site. Don't let another 5 months go by shunning your neighbors up north.

::: Nathalie

For those U.S. people, click here for a personal invitation link to Gilt. Happy shopping. *tear.

Swans

It was last year that I was sitting at my mum's kitchen table when my brother stopped by with the Spring '08 issue of Holts magazine. I fell in love with the cover look instantly. It epitomized personality and grace and my idea of the perfect little black dress.  

Fast forward to this past March. The Marc Jacobs sale listed on Gilt.com included that dress. The cost, a fraction of the original $2,400 price tag. I bought it of course with my brother in-laws 2010 nuptials in mind. Unfortunately since then, he has decided to have a casual beach front wedding (in Sarnia, ON). Hmm... so much for planning ahead. I'll be looking forward to the next gala or fancy party instead.

Interestingly enough, Outnet.com is currently stocking the swan dress for 50% off. The price listed on Gilt was still significantly less expensive. 

If you're not already signed up to Gilt, I would highly recommend doing so. Here's a personal invitation if anyone needs it. 

::: Nathalie

Courtesy of Gilt Groupe

Quick recap on my previous Gilt Groupe post:

• I was notified that I could return the complimentary shoes they had sent me when the wrong size was shipped. 
• More credit was added towards a future purchase. 

I had the most amazing streak of good luck this afternoon when the return on the shoes was processed during today's sale. This is how if played out. 

11: 58 am: Logged into my account. Shoe refund had yet to be processed. Had $158 to spend.

12:00 pm: Bee-lined directly towards the MBMJ sale. 

12: 10 pm: First purchase -  a gorgeous red MBMJ dress. It's prefect for work with a pale yellow cardi and can be dressed up and down. Love it! 

12:20 pm: So much to buy today! Emailed Gilt to ask when my shoe refund would be processed. 

12:45 pm: Shoe refund processed! Had another $120 to spend.

12:45 pm: Second purchase - a John Varvatos polo for my beloved husband. (I would have liked the black long sleeved polo but someone was holding it in their cart. Darn!)

12:46 pm: Focused my attention on red leather Delman flats. Hit the refresh button every second to get the last pair of size 7's. Some odd minutes later, I got them! (So long Tory Burch.)

12:51 pm: Late returning to work from my lunch hour. Oh well. Contemplated my recent subconscious fascination with the color red as I drove to the office.

Luckily Gilt offers free shipping when you buy within the hour, so I only paid for shipping once though I made three separate purchases. Total purchased: $240 with a $10 credit still in my account. 

I cannot wait until they open their shop to Canadian customers!

Thank you very much Gilt Groupe. : )

::: Nathalie

Compliments of Gilt

Last night was my first time online in a few days. I only had a couple of minutes to quickly check my email before heading to bed. There was a very interesting email waiting for me from Gilt Groupe.

Will from Gilt.com emailed me to say they found my previous blog post expressing my discontent with the fact their website is no longer accepting international credit cards. He explained in further detail that Gilt is ensuring that they provide a safe place for their customers to do business.  

As an avid online shopper, I completely understand why the new policy has taken effect, I always have. The thing that irks me is that I've made previous purchases. Had my card been compromised, I would have already called to complain, but that isn't the case.

Anyhow, Will went on to tell me that within the next six months, Gilt is going to be offering Canadian customers a chance to ship directly here! He apologized for the troubles that I've experienced and acknowledged that it would be months before my next purchase. And so, they are sending me a pair of beautiful Modern Vintage shoes that I had in my shopping cart. Compliments of Gilt Groupe! 

This company is out there, reading what customers are saying about them and taking their comments seriously. It's impressive and incredibly smart of them to do that if they are going to survive in this business. I'm sure they're aware of the massive competition out there and are trying to do whatever possible to stand apart from the rest and hold onto faithful customers. 

It's already working for me. Complimentary shoes aside, it was a happy surprise to find in my inbox. If you read my Club Monaco post, you'll know I'm big into customer service. Why shop at a store that won't even acknowledge their customers complaints. 

Gilt Groupe clearly doesn't fail in that category. They go above and beyond. Well done. I can't wait to see how the next six months unfold. 

This may be asking for the world but hopefully they're able to exchange the shoes for the right size! I accidently put an 8.5 in my shopping cart and that's what was shipped to me. Yikes!

::: Nathalie

Distaste: Gilt Groupe

I've always been very happy with Gilt Groupe but as of today, that changed. I live in Oakville, Ontario and purchase items with my Canadian Mastercard and have orders shipped to my uncles house in the States.

Earlier today I proceeded to checkout with 2 items in my shopping cart, Marc Jacobs trousers for $39 USD and a Trovata buttoned down shirt, $29 USD - birthday presents for my husband. Instead of "Thank you for your order" I get a nasty message saying my order has declined, something about a problem with my shipping address. I'm frantic now about loosing $39 Marc Jacobs trousers so I keep hitting SUBMIT ORDER over and over again. The nasty message gets more detailed and says the address on my credit card doesn't match with my shipping address.

Outraged I dialed the 1-877 number and spoke to a customer service rep that explained I was lucky enough to have made Gilt purchases in the past. Apparently their system was supposed to prohibit international credit cards. Long story short, a few of us got through, Gilt caught on and has now heightened their security. It is completely outrageous to cut of your services to those with international credit cards!

And really, did they have to do it now with all of their crazy final sales going on? Couldn't they have waited another week?! Bastards!!!

::: Nathalie

Ace of Spades

I finally got my Marc by Marc Jacobs Aces of Spades dress! I had ordered it off Gilt.com over a month ago. Since Gilt Groupe doesn't ship to Canada, I had to send it to my uncle's house in Florida and he ships it to me. (So nice of him to do that.)

After I ordered it I found out that Anne Hathaway wore this dress in the movie Bride Wars. Ooo!

If you love discounted designer goods, I would highly recommend signing up. The website is by invitation only so click on this link to sign up.

-Nathalie