I want to buy your stuff, not join your club
July 29, 2012 8:07 PM Subscribe
What is the deal with e-commerce websites that force you to "become a member" before you can even see the items that they are selling? I'm thinking about Fab, Everlane, etc.
I just want to look at the products and see if I might want to buy something. I don't want to join a club. Don't these people want my money? I guess not. Why do they do this, and is there any way around it? Is there any way to see their wares with joining up?
I just want to look at the products and see if I might want to buy something. I don't want to join a club. Don't these people want my money? I guess not. Why do they do this, and is there any way around it? Is there any way to see their wares with joining up?
It's called a flash sale site. That's the whole gimmick -- you get great deals, but there's little control over what merchandise will be offered.
Most of them have a strong brand, though, so for instance you know that Fab is more hip and quirky, whereas Gilt is more about designer labels. By getting a sense of the site's brand, you'll (somewhat) be able to predict what kinds of items will be for sale.
Also, as far as I can tell they make their money by forcing you to look at emails every day on the off chance you might want something. I've never given in to impulse, but I'm sure a lot of people do.
posted by Sara C. at 8:21 PM on July 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
Most of them have a strong brand, though, so for instance you know that Fab is more hip and quirky, whereas Gilt is more about designer labels. By getting a sense of the site's brand, you'll (somewhat) be able to predict what kinds of items will be for sale.
Also, as far as I can tell they make their money by forcing you to look at emails every day on the off chance you might want something. I've never given in to impulse, but I'm sure a lot of people do.
posted by Sara C. at 8:21 PM on July 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
Also, per Kololo's comment, most of these items are sold elsewhere online. For instance right now Gilt has a Sunday Night sale on Badgley Mischa outerwear. You can most likely buy the same items on Badgley Mischa's website, or on the site of a store where Badgley Mischa items are sold. You won't get the same deal*, but you can get the items elsewhere and see what kinds of items Gilt is likely to feature. It's not rocket science.
A big percentage of Fab sellers have Etsy shops.
*IMO, the deals on these sites aren't that great. It can sometimes bring haute couture into the range of a huge splurge, or bring the price of upper-range major brands like Ray Ban down to something the average person can afford for a major purchase. But it's not cut rate discount sales, as far as I've seen.
posted by Sara C. at 8:30 PM on July 29, 2012
A big percentage of Fab sellers have Etsy shops.
*IMO, the deals on these sites aren't that great. It can sometimes bring haute couture into the range of a huge splurge, or bring the price of upper-range major brands like Ray Ban down to something the average person can afford for a major purchase. But it's not cut rate discount sales, as far as I've seen.
posted by Sara C. at 8:30 PM on July 29, 2012
Response by poster: Okay, so how do you figure out what kinds of stuff these places carry without being able to see inside the shop? Is the idea that you join and then unjoin if it turns out you're not into sequins on green leather? Or is it that you see all your Facebook friends have joined, so you decide you should join, too? Is the idea that hip people already know, and they only want hip people to join? Or are there third-party websites or bloggers who give you a glimpse of what's behind the door?
Sorry to be sounding snarky, but I'm both annoyed and curious about the phenomenon. I don't like being excluded, but I really don't like signing things sight (or site) unseen.
posted by alms at 8:36 PM on July 29, 2012
Sorry to be sounding snarky, but I'm both annoyed and curious about the phenomenon. I don't like being excluded, but I really don't like signing things sight (or site) unseen.
posted by alms at 8:36 PM on July 29, 2012
I don't like being excluded.
I think that's the whole point of these sites. It's like throwing up a velvet rope outside your nightclub. Plus it generates hella good prospect lists.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 8:40 PM on July 29, 2012 [6 favorites]
I think that's the whole point of these sites. It's like throwing up a velvet rope outside your nightclub. Plus it generates hella good prospect lists.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 8:40 PM on July 29, 2012 [6 favorites]
Daily deal sites like Groupon and Living Social do this as well.
It's pretty much that they sell either different items every day or that their stock is so limited that they know if you don't see something you like, you will probably won't come back.
Their whole business relies on letting you know what else they sell on other days by making you sign up , ie. provide your e-mail.
posted by wongcorgi at 8:42 PM on July 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's pretty much that they sell either different items every day or that their stock is so limited that they know if you don't see something you like, you will probably won't come back.
Their whole business relies on letting you know what else they sell on other days by making you sign up , ie. provide your e-mail.
posted by wongcorgi at 8:42 PM on July 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Again, alms, it's a brand thing. If you like vintage, Etsy, and up and coming designers, you'll probably see things you want on Fab. All the other sites have similarly tightly curated collections.
posted by Sara C. at 8:44 PM on July 29, 2012
posted by Sara C. at 8:44 PM on July 29, 2012
If you want to take a peek without registering, check bugmenot.com to see if there's a login posted for the site(s) you want to peruse.
posted by kitty teeth at 8:45 PM on July 29, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by kitty teeth at 8:45 PM on July 29, 2012 [4 favorites]
I joined a few of these when I was getting decor stuff for a new apartment - I had the same reservations as you, but I just used my designated throwaway email address and was able to turn off the daily emails I didn't want, so I don't feel terribly used by the process.
Fab is the only one I still look at, and the draw there is the curation - sure, you could get all that stuff elsewhere, but Fab has a team scouring lesser-known vendors for fun items. It doesn't feel like an exclusive club once you're signed up, so it's not as pretentious as it might seem. The FB integration is easy to bypass, at any rate.
posted by ella wren at 8:48 PM on July 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
Fab is the only one I still look at, and the draw there is the curation - sure, you could get all that stuff elsewhere, but Fab has a team scouring lesser-known vendors for fun items. It doesn't feel like an exclusive club once you're signed up, so it's not as pretentious as it might seem. The FB integration is easy to bypass, at any rate.
posted by ella wren at 8:48 PM on July 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
Is the idea that you join and then unjoin if it turns out you're not into sequins on green leather? Or is it that you see all your Facebook friends have joined, so you decide you should join, too?
YES
Is the idea that hip people already know, and they only want hip people to join?
They want it to SEEM like only hip people join, and therefore you are hip if you join, and ergo you are now motivated to join.
posted by Kololo at 8:55 PM on July 29, 2012
YES
Is the idea that hip people already know, and they only want hip people to join?
They want it to SEEM like only hip people join, and therefore you are hip if you join, and ergo you are now motivated to join.
posted by Kololo at 8:55 PM on July 29, 2012
Big tip: if you do join one of these sites, always compare prices against Amazon et al. I've found that their "deals" are often more expensive than the base price on retailer sites.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 9:19 PM on July 29, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 9:19 PM on July 29, 2012 [3 favorites]
Marketing is about numbers. So when Kololo says YOU are motivated to join, he's using the hypothetical you. The specific you might not be motivated by this particular method, but as long as someone is, marketing will keep doing it.
Due to co-workers who would read out deals they thought were interesting, I've learned that sometimes they have "deals" that are exactly the same as their regular price. But imperfect knowledge is a way to game the market, and people might assume because this is listed as a limited-time offer, and they only learned of it because they are a member, that they are somehow privileged to have this opportunity. If membership wasn't required, then they wouldn't feel privileged and likely to jump at the opportunity.
posted by RobotHero at 9:23 PM on July 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
Due to co-workers who would read out deals they thought were interesting, I've learned that sometimes they have "deals" that are exactly the same as their regular price. But imperfect knowledge is a way to game the market, and people might assume because this is listed as a limited-time offer, and they only learned of it because they are a member, that they are somehow privileged to have this opportunity. If membership wasn't required, then they wouldn't feel privileged and likely to jump at the opportunity.
posted by RobotHero at 9:23 PM on July 29, 2012 [2 favorites]
People have addressed the possible why of the marketing scheme. I did join fab for awhile and got some nice gifts for friends for the holidays. The stuff that I bought was between $14 - $34, although there was a lot of stuff that was pricier. As Sara C noted it is a flash sale site, so the merchandise isn't available for long and there are limited qualities (again, I presume to increase the desirability and the pressure to buy now), but it is cheaper than you'd find it elsewhere, because it tends to be stuff from smaller design firms and/or stuff that tends not to get marked down.
As an example, I do remember that I almost succumbed to a pair of earrings by the owner and designer of PICO Little Architecture whom I'd met when she was selling her wares during a design/crafts expo at gift shop of the National Building Museum. I had a fairly large gift certificates so I bought a pair of her earrings, love them and always get compliments on them. Her stuff ranges from $60-$250 and the earrings on fab were $20 off, discounted from $78 to $58. She never seems to have sales on her site, so I was tempted, but ultimately putting that money in my savings account prevailed. Because I didn't want to risk further temptation, I unsubscribed and they've never bothered me again (no annoying "hey come back emails). I'd say if you're that curious about it, sign up and then unsubscribe if you decide it's not worth the daily emails or you just don't want to support that style of e-commerce.
posted by kaybdc at 9:26 PM on July 29, 2012
As an example, I do remember that I almost succumbed to a pair of earrings by the owner and designer of PICO Little Architecture whom I'd met when she was selling her wares during a design/crafts expo at gift shop of the National Building Museum. I had a fairly large gift certificates so I bought a pair of her earrings, love them and always get compliments on them. Her stuff ranges from $60-$250 and the earrings on fab were $20 off, discounted from $78 to $58. She never seems to have sales on her site, so I was tempted, but ultimately putting that money in my savings account prevailed. Because I didn't want to risk further temptation, I unsubscribed and they've never bothered me again (no annoying "hey come back emails). I'd say if you're that curious about it, sign up and then unsubscribe if you decide it's not worth the daily emails or you just don't want to support that style of e-commerce.
posted by kaybdc at 9:26 PM on July 29, 2012
If you're curious, See Chloe Shop has regular posts listing what brands are featured at various flash sale sites.
These sites are all about impulse buying; the limited-run offers, specific sale start/end dates and times, and membership requirement increase the perception of scarcity. It's worth mentioning that you don't even see everything in upcoming sales; you see a list of labels and two or three "preview" photos, but you don't see the actual inventory until the sale's official start.
And by signing up, you get daily emails with these exclusive offers, so you're constantly reminded that there are shiny new things coming in. That's even more valuable than the appearance of exclusivity, and it works really well because everything is a brand new sale, everything will end in a few days, and you don't know exactly what will be offered. So people keep opening their emails and logging in to the site.
(Everlane is a totally different thing; instead of flash sales, they sell a limited selection of basics. I'd guess that, for them, the membership requirement is all about the air of exclusivity, like you're in on this huge secret. FWIW, I signed up at Everlane expecting awesome stuff, but it's almost entirely weekend-casual t-shirts that look like something you'd find at the Gap or J. Crew. There are also a couple tote bags and a belt. Not the game-changer I was hoping for.)
I've gotten a couple awesome things at Gilt and Rue La La, but they're really not great sites if you're a practical-minded bargain hunter.
Joining isn't really that big of a deal. You just sign up with your email address; you don't have to close your account if you don't end up buying anything.
posted by Metroid Baby at 9:45 PM on July 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
These sites are all about impulse buying; the limited-run offers, specific sale start/end dates and times, and membership requirement increase the perception of scarcity. It's worth mentioning that you don't even see everything in upcoming sales; you see a list of labels and two or three "preview" photos, but you don't see the actual inventory until the sale's official start.
And by signing up, you get daily emails with these exclusive offers, so you're constantly reminded that there are shiny new things coming in. That's even more valuable than the appearance of exclusivity, and it works really well because everything is a brand new sale, everything will end in a few days, and you don't know exactly what will be offered. So people keep opening their emails and logging in to the site.
(Everlane is a totally different thing; instead of flash sales, they sell a limited selection of basics. I'd guess that, for them, the membership requirement is all about the air of exclusivity, like you're in on this huge secret. FWIW, I signed up at Everlane expecting awesome stuff, but it's almost entirely weekend-casual t-shirts that look like something you'd find at the Gap or J. Crew. There are also a couple tote bags and a belt. Not the game-changer I was hoping for.)
I've gotten a couple awesome things at Gilt and Rue La La, but they're really not great sites if you're a practical-minded bargain hunter.
Joining isn't really that big of a deal. You just sign up with your email address; you don't have to close your account if you don't end up buying anything.
posted by Metroid Baby at 9:45 PM on July 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sample Sale Sites lists what's coming at various flash sale sites. If you don't want to commit to signing up, you can at least see what various sites are offering.
posted by mogget at 10:30 PM on July 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by mogget at 10:30 PM on July 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Manufacturers often use the group membership requirement as a way to protect their pricing when they dump a bunch of overstock onto the market- They make some money, and the discounted price doesn't become the regular perceived price of their product. This is most common with fashion, where being perceived as a downmarket brand can dramatically affect the price customers are willing to pay.
posted by jenkinsEar at 3:54 AM on July 30, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by jenkinsEar at 3:54 AM on July 30, 2012 [1 favorite]
My wife worked at one of these places, and I know that having "members only" was one way of ensuring they had the best prices. It was in the contract with the vendors that they would offer the flash sale site 30% below any publicly offered rate and then they would charge members 10-15% over that which is where the flash sale site made their money. And it also ensured that the sales were actually sales. There was a pricing team that would search orbitz, priceline, etc to compare (as those sites are "public") to make sure the vendors weren't breaking contract.
posted by Grither at 4:32 AM on July 30, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Grither at 4:32 AM on July 30, 2012 [2 favorites]
Okay, so how do you figure out what kinds of stuff these places carry without being able to see inside the shop? Is the idea that you join and then unjoin if it turns out you're not into sequins on green leather?
You figure out what is being offered to members by becoming a member. If you don't like sequins, tomorrow there will be cutting boards and the day after that, overcoats. If you don't like any of those, remove your name from the mailing list.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:54 AM on July 30, 2012
You figure out what is being offered to members by becoming a member. If you don't like sequins, tomorrow there will be cutting boards and the day after that, overcoats. If you don't like any of those, remove your name from the mailing list.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:54 AM on July 30, 2012
Response by poster: Thanks all, this makes perfect sense. I didn't realize these places were flash sale sites; I thought they were just e-tailers trying to project an aura of hipness and exclusivity. The wrinkle about keeping the prices behind a membership wall is interesting, too.
Since I'm not an always-on shopper I guess I can go back to leaving these sites to their intended audience.
posted by alms at 6:50 AM on July 30, 2012
Since I'm not an always-on shopper I guess I can go back to leaving these sites to their intended audience.
posted by alms at 6:50 AM on July 30, 2012
Many people pin things they like from Fab.com onto Pinterest, so you could take a look here. (I don't think you need to join Pinterest to see that!)
And here is Everlane (I think, I just guessed the URL).
posted by lily_bart at 7:15 AM on July 30, 2012
And here is Everlane (I think, I just guessed the URL).
posted by lily_bart at 7:15 AM on July 30, 2012
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You're forced to become a member because:
- A membership-based business provides them with a guaranteed audience for their sales, and they can use use this as leverage when arranging deals with the vendors
- Putting their wares behind a gate makes those wares seem more enticing and exclusive, and attracts more people to the sale
- A big database of names, emails, mailing addresses, and product preferences is extremely valuable to the company, who can later sell this list/database.
There's usually no way around signing up if you want to see or buy their products. If you don't want to sign up, then there's plenty of other places online that will sell you stuff.
posted by Kololo at 8:20 PM on July 29, 2012 [3 favorites]