Gift Giving 2011: Flash Deal Sites
Flash deal sites exploded in 2010 and really revolutionized shopping in a couple different ways.
A flash deal site is a website that is dedicated to quick sales- usually new listings are posted every day and they expire in one-three days.
Generally, products are listed at 50-90% off, which means you can score some great deals, if you act quickly.
Lesson 1: The success of these websites is based on people impulse buying, so you need to make sure that you don’t just buy to buy.
If you buy something that you don’t need (or don’t need as a gift), than the deal is NOT a good deal.
Lesson 2: Leverage referral incentives to reduce spending.
Another benefit to flash deal sites is that many offer referral incentives and rewards. For instance, when you refer people to Groupon and they make their first purchase, you get $10 in Groupon bucks.
Lesson 3: Use Groupons to buy great gifts.
This past year I used many of my Groupon referral credits to purchase gifts. Sometimes, I gave the Groupon itself, but more often, I would redeem the Groupon and get a really nice gift that I essentially I paid nothing (or almost nothing) for. I have found that Groupons and other similar sites are a wonderful way to purchase monogrammed and more unique gifts than what you can find at a big box store.
Free Money – Here is a list of sites that will give you credit to shop just for signing up! (This is a great way to buy something inexpensive and try out the site.)
- Gaggle of chicks: “where moms flock for deals” – fun children’s clothes, accessories and home goods: You get a $10 credit when you use my link (otherwise you only get $5)
- Modnique: Clothes for men, women and children, accessories and gifts. You get a $5 credit when you sign up!
- Plum District: This site is like Groupon in that it offers gift certificates to use on purchases. When you sign up, you get a $5 credit to use within your first week as a member.
And here is a list of other flash deal sites. I recommend signing up for them (they are all free) and check them out. Monitor them for a few weeks and see if they are a fit for you and the people you buy for. (They usually send a daily email with the days deals.)
Mostly Children’s Products – seriously, these are my favorites. I LOVE finding kids stuff on these sites because they are so unique and cute.
- Totsy: Childrens clothes, accessories and products, along with maternity and stuff for mommy! (this site might be my favorite…)
- Mamapedia: sweet deals geared toward moms and kids
- The Mini Social: Childrens clothes, accessories and products
- Zulily: Tons of cute children’s stuff too, along with maternity, nursing and cool mom clothes
- LittleLuxe: chic kids clothes
Gift Certificate Flash Deals (you don’t have to live in the specified city to buy these deals)
- Groupon: They offer everything – restaurants, boutiques, photo deals, spas and more
- Jasmere: Like Groupon, you purchase gift certificates for products. The price continues to decrease as more and more people buy.
- Eversave: restaurants, spas, local activities and online deals
- SharingSpree: restaurants, entertainment, spas, and more in your city. A portion of every deal goes back to a local non-profit.
Mostly Home Goods and Adult Clothing/Accessories
- The Foundary: Really cool site – offers everything from clothes and accessories to home goods and toys.
- One Kings Lane: Mostly home goods and occasional paper products
- Gilt: Clothes for men, women and children
- Rue La La: Designer clothing, home goods and trips
- Billion Dollar Babes: High end clothes and accessories
Tomorrow’s topic: Getting gifts for FREE