Lord knows most people love a good sale, be it sweaters or canned corn. Some have even turned sale stalking into a contact sport, evident at Walmarts around the country on Black Friday. For those not wanting to lose limbs or dignity for cheap electronic gadgets, a whole flurry of sites now boast that they offer up to 70% off retail. Are these websites too good to be true?

Flash Sale Websites

These websites include Gilt (formerly known as Gilt Groupe), Hautelook (now owned by Nordstrom), Rue La La, Ideeli amongst a growing group of competitors. The idea behind the flash sale website was to give shoppers around the globe a chance to partake in sample sales. A sample sale is typically done by a brand to sell production samples or excess merchandise. Short notice was usually given and yet hundreds would line up for a chance to get a hopefully steep discount.  Gilt was the first flash sale site and at first it kept membership and selection small. The first invitations to join were given out by the founders personally, and then you could only join if a current member sent you an invite. As selection grew, membership grew to waiting lists and now anyone can join.

What can you find on a flash sale site? Obviously, the main reason people shop flash sites is for what they think is discount designer merchandise. Is this true? Yes. Is it the same stuff you'd find in say, Nordstrom? Not necessarily and this is where things get tricky. While some brands will send some in season merchandise to the flash sites seeing them as just another retailer with whom to work, others create diffusion lines to sell on these sites. The diffusion line may carry the exact same logo and branding as regular line, but details will differ. For example, that blue print Lauren Ralph Lauren button down will have long sleeves and be 100% cotton at Macy's, while at Hautelook it may be the same print and shape, but will have 3/4 length sleeves and be made of a cotton/poly blend. Before you get excited thinking this the same shirt you saw at the mall over the weekend double check the details.

The main way flash website get you to buy is through short sales times. If you put something in your shopping cart at most of the websites, you only have 10-15 minutes to hold the item. If you haven't forked over your AMEX details by then, the item leaves your cart or it may even be sold out by the time you check out. Most flash sites won't let you keep items in your cart but Gilt does, the kicker being that you can only have five items in there at once. You should also check on return policies and shipping costs as they can be more expensive and more strict than other retailers.

Do they sell plus sizes? I have never seen a plus size grace Gilt, and they're pretty rare on Hautelook. However, now that Nordstrom owns HL I think they may become more common over time. Rue La La and Ideeli carry plus sizes, with Ideeli carrying them more often. Zulily, originally meant for children, now carries plus sizes all the time. However, most of it is draped polyester. 

Off Price Retailers

As a category, off price retailers include T.J. Maxx, Marshall's, Ross, and Burlington Coat Factory to name a few. They originated as a sort of bargain basements for off season and overstock merchandise but have evolved into retailers offering designer goods at bargain basement prices. However, a lot of what they're selling are designer diffusion lines. This is easy to spot from a plus size standpoint. Cynthia Rowley has several lines, but only one line comes in plus size and it's only sold in two locations: T.J. Maxx and Marshall's. Michael Kors is another name that sells a diffusion line exclusive to T.J. Maxx and Marshall's. The items he sells there, namely ruched t-shirts and sweatpants with a giant "MK" spangled on the thigh, aren't sold anywhere else. So yes, you're getting designer clothes or bags, but at the same time you're missing out on a lot of the detailing and quality that make designer goods worth the money.  The diffusion line aspect doesn't bother a lot of people but it does rub me the wrong way a tad bit. Marshall's and T.J. Maxx try to parade these as designer merchandise but to me, a diffusion line doesn't meet the characteristics of being designer fashion, such as quality and detailing. However, I digress.

Bargain Basements

Every region has it's own bargain basement warehouse and everybody usually has a story about that great diamond-in-the-rough find from three years ago. I actually think my friend has the best story: she found a $300 Brahmin croc-embossed leather bag that the handles had been removed on. She bought it for $40. A trip to the shoe repair shop and $25 later, it looks brand new.  Do these basements carry designer goods? Maybe you could tell if they didn't cut the tags out of them. If you do buy anything from your local bargain basement check it all over for tears, rips, stains, etc.

Saving money is always a great thing and flash sale sites and off price retailers are a great place to save some coin. However, are you really saving money when you end up with buyer's remorse on a $300 purse you can't return? Do your research, check all policies, and remember that Christmas is a mere 156 days away. Have fun!