Gilt Groupe: Difference between revisions
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{{short description| |
{{short description|Online shopping website based in the United States}} |
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{{Infobox company |
{{Infobox company |
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| name = Gilt Groupe |
| name = Gilt Groupe |
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| type = [[Subsidiary]] |
| type = [[Subsidiary]] |
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| foundation = 2007 |
| foundation = 2007 |
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| founders = [[Kevin P. Ryan]] |
| founders = [[Kevin P. Ryan]], [[Michael Bryzek]], Phong Nguyen, Alexis Maybank, [[Alexandra Wilkis Wilson]] |
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| owner = Rue La La |
| owner = Rue La La |
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| location_city = New York, N.Y. |
| location_city = New York, N.Y. |
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| location_country = USA |
| location_country = USA |
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| key_people = Jonathan Greller ([[President (corporate title)|President]])<ref name="Team | Gilt Groupe | About">[http://www.gilt.com/company/team Team | Gilt Groupe | About]. Gilt.com.</ref> |
| key_people = Jonathan Greller ([[President (corporate title)|President]])<ref name="Team | Gilt Groupe | About">[http://www.gilt.com/company/team Team | Gilt Groupe | About] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407200636/http://www.gilt.com/company/team |date=2012-04-07 }}. Gilt.com.</ref> |
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| industry = [[E-commerce]] |
| industry = [[E-commerce]] |
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| num_employees = More than 1000 <ref name="Gilt Groupe - Company Overview" >Gilt Groupe - Company Overview</ref> |
| num_employees = More than 1000 <ref name="Gilt Groupe - Company Overview" >Gilt Groupe - Company Overview</ref> |
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| homepage = {{ |
| homepage = {{URL|http://gilt.com}} |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Gilt''' is an [[online shopping]] |
'''Gilt''' is an American [[online shopping]] launched in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Author Series with Alexis Maybank of Gilt Groupe|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3wTTEH0LwI&list=PLDEB831CA452F0230&index=1&feature=plcp |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/E3wTTEH0LwI |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|date=August 7, 2012|publisher=New York Technology Council}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On January 7, 2016, The company was sold to [[Hudson's Bay Company]] for approximately $250 million. Prior to the Hudson's Bay acquisition, sales were exceeding growth projections but the firm had not been [[Profit (economics)|profit]]able yet.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> On June 4, 2018, [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]]-based [[Rue La La]] acquired Gilt from Hudson's Bay.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40581020/breaking-rue-la-la-acquires-gilt-groupe|title=Breaking: Rue La La acquires Gilt Groupe|last=Segran|first=Elizabeth|date=2018-06-04|website=Fast Company|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-31}}</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Gilt Groupe is based in [[New York City]] with warehouses in [[Brooklyn, New York]], [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], and [[ |
Gilt Groupe is based in [[New York City]] with warehouses in [[Brooklyn, New York]], [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], and [[Shepherdsville, Kentucky]]. |
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The company was co-founded by [[Kevin P. Ryan]], Michael Bryzek and Phong Nguyen, with Alexis Maybank, and Alexandra Wilson joining shortly after the company's inception;<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kucera|first=Danielle|date=June 21, 2011|title=Stilettos Invade Startups as Niche-Shopping Sites Attract Women|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-06-21/stilettos-invade-startups-as-niche-shopping-sites-attract-women|access-date=2020-09-23|website=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> who modeled Gilt after Vente-Privee, an online fashion retailer in France. The original business plan consisted of "flash sales," selling a limited number of luxury designer items at steep discounts for brief periods.<ref name=":0"/> |
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The company launched women's clothing and accessories in November 2007 and [[menswear]] in April 2008. It added |
The company launched women's clothing and accessories in November 2007 and [[menswear]] in April 2008. It added Gilt Groupe Japan, Gilt Fuse, and travel site Jetsetter in 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/30/gilt-groupes-jetsetter-takes-off/|title=Gilt Groupe's Jetsetter takes off | work=CNN | first=Jessica | last=Shambora | date=September 30, 2009}}</ref> It later added, Gilt City and Gilt Home in 2010 and Gilt Taste in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/18/dining/gilt-taste-arrives-with-ruth-reichl-at-the-helm.html |title=Gilt Taste Arrives, With Ruth Reichl at the Helm | work=[[The New York Times]] | first=Florence |last=Fabricant |date=2011-05-17}}</ref> |
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In 2009, [[growth equity]] firm [[General Atlantic]] led a [[series C]] funding round, joined by previous investor [[Matrix Partners]] |
In 2009, [[growth equity]] firm [[General Atlantic]] led a [[series C]] funding round, joined by previous investor [[Matrix Partners]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=McMahan|first1=Ty|title=Venture Capitalists Prove They Have A Fashion Sense|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2009/07/02/venture-capitalists-prove-they-have-a-fashion-sense/|access-date=16 December 2015|publisher=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Gilt Groupe, Inc. Announces New Growth Capital Investment|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gilt-groupe-inc-announces-new-growth-capital-investment-62201172.html|website=PRNewswire|access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref> By February 2014, Gilt Groupe was preparing for an [[IPO]].<ref name="Gilt IPO Puts Eyes on Flash Model">{{cite web | url=http://www.wwd.com/retail-news/financial/gilt-ipo-puts-eyes-on-flash-model-7449057?src=nl/mornReport/20140213 | title=Gilt IPO Puts Eyes on Flash Model | publisher=WWD | date=13 February 2014 | access-date=13 February 2014 | author=Strugatz, Rachel}}</ref> |
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In 2010, Gilt acquired luxury [[One deal a day|deal-of-the-day]] site Bergine.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/10/26/gilt-makes-its-first-acquisition-bergine/ | title=Gilt Makes its First Acquisition: Bergine| newspaper=Wall Street Journal| date=2010-10-26| last1=Fowler| first1=Geoffrey A.}}</ref> This was the first of several acquisitions. |
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According to ''[[Business Insider]]'', during its "hyper-growth years, the company overextended itself and lost focus", as the expanded business segments such as "Full-price retail, travel, and food were sucking resources from Gilt's core categories — discounted women's fashion", and Gilt was forced to sell these non-core businesses at a loss. Flash sales companies were also seeing slower growth, thanks in part to e-mail fatigue (the key means for flash sales to be promoted) with e-mail providers increasingly classifying thыШгж |
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⚫ | On January 7, 2016, Gilt Groupe announced its [[Mergers and acquisitions|acquisition]] by |
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⚫ | ese messages as spam). The IPO kept getting delayed and ending up never happening, while the firm never reached profitability.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}} By 2015, Gilt was raising money "at a lower valuation than the $1 billion at which it reportedly raised $138 million in 2011". Such a cash infusion is known as "down round" which hurts employee morale and devalues the founders' stakes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/gilt-groupe-story-2015-2|title=Four years ago Gilt Groupe was the hottest startup in New York — Here's what happened|work=Business Insider|access-date=2018-05-23}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/12/15/technology/gilt-groupe-hudsons-bay-saks/|title=Has Gilt Groupe hit the clearance rack?|last=O'Brien|first=Sara Ashley|work=CNNMoney|access-date=2018-05-23}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/newyork/news/2016/01/20/gilt-groupe-sale-leaves-winners-losers-and-a.html|title=Gilt Groupe sale leaves winners, losers and a cautionary tale|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2018-05-23}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=http://www.recode.net/2015/3/16/11560292/gilt-groupes-very-cloudy-future|title=Gilt Groupe's Very Cloudy Future|work=Recode|access-date=2018-05-23}}</ref> |
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⚫ | On January 7, 2016, Gilt Groupe announced its [[Mergers and acquisitions|acquisition]] by Hudson's Bay Company, owner of luxury [[department store]] chains [[Hudson's Bay (retailer)|Hudson's Bay]], [[Lord & Taylor]] and [[Saks Fifth Avenue]], for $250 million.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gilt Groupe to Announce Sale to Saks Fifth Avenue Owner as Soon as Thursday Morning |url=http://recode.net/2016/01/06/gilt-groupe-to-announce-sale-to-saks-fifth-avenue-owner-as-soon-as-thursday-morning/ |website=Re/code |access-date=2016-01-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107075532/http://recode.net/2016/01/06/gilt-groupe-to-announce-sale-to-saks-fifth-avenue-owner-as-soon-as-thursday-morning/ |archive-date=2016-01-07 }}</ref> |
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⚫ | In June 2018 it was announced the HBC would be selling Gilt to |
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⚫ | In June 2018 it was announced the HBC would be selling Gilt to Rue La La.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rue-la-la-to-acquire-gilt-300659396.html|title=Rue La La to Acquire Gilt|last=La|first=Rue La|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/features/news-briefs/hbc-to-shutter-home-outfitters-chain-up-to-20-saks-off-5th-stores|title=HBC To Shutter Home Outfitters Chain, Up To 20 Saks OFF 5TH Stores - Retail TouchPoints|website=www.retailtouchpoints.com|date=25 February 2019 |language=en-gb|access-date=2019-06-18}}</ref> |
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⚫ | On October 2, 2019 Gilt Groupe and Simon Property Group announced a joint venture for ShopPremiumOutlets.com, an online shopping platform focused on its outlet |
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⚫ | On October 2, 2019, Gilt Groupe and [[Simon Property Group]] announced a [[joint venture]] for ShopPremiumOutlets.com, an online shopping platform focused on its [[outlet mall]]s, to create a new [[e-commerce]] platform dedicated to value shopping.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=https://www.ibj.com/articles/simon-to-invest-280m-in-online-shopping-venture|title=Simon Property to invest $280M in online shopping venture|work=Recode|access-date=2019-10-02}}</ref> |
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==Business== |
==Business== |
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Gilt Groupe visitors must be members in order to view sales. Sales last 36–48 hours and feature merchandise from a single [[brand]] or small groups of brands. The firm purchases vendor inventory at an extreme discount, adding a [[margin (economics)|margin]] in order to make a [[Profit (accounting)|profit]]. On August 22, 2011, Gilt Groupe added a [[Facebook]] shopping section.<ref>August 22, 2011 [http://www.internetretailer.com/2011/08/22/gilt-goes-after-facebook-shoppers Gilt goes after Facebook shoppers] internetretailer.com</ref> [[Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[iPhone]] [[Mobile app|apps]] allow mobile shopping, and access is also available for other [[smartphone]] and tablet devices. |
Gilt Groupe visitors must be members in order to view sales. Sales last 36–48 hours and feature merchandise from a single [[brand]] or small groups of brands. The firm purchases vendor inventory at an extreme discount, adding a [[margin (economics)|margin]] in order to make a [[Profit (accounting)|profit]]. On August 22, 2011, Gilt Groupe added a [[Facebook]] shopping section.<ref>August 22, 2011 [http://www.internetretailer.com/2011/08/22/gilt-goes-after-facebook-shoppers Gilt goes after Facebook shoppers] internetretailer.com</ref> [[Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[iPhone]] [[Mobile app|apps]] allow mobile shopping, and access is also available for other [[smartphone]] and tablet devices. |
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==Book== |
==Book== |
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[[Penguin Group]] printed a history of Gilt Groupe in 2012 written by two of its founders, Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson. ''By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop'' was published before Gilt was bought out by Hudson's Bay;<ref>[http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-13/gilt-groupe-founders-essential-business-reads Essential Business Reads] ''[[Business Week]]'' 2012-04-13</ref> At that time the firm was valued at more than $1 billion,<ref>Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, ''By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop'' [[Penguin Group]], 2012</ref> over four times greater than its eventual selling price. |
[[Penguin Group]] printed a history of Gilt Groupe in 2012 written by two of its founders, Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson. ''By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop'' was published before Gilt was bought out by Hudson's Bay;<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120416232331/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-13/gilt-groupe-founders-essential-business-reads Essential Business Reads] ''[[Business Week]]'' 2012-04-13</ref> At that time the firm was valued at more than $1 billion,<ref>Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, ''By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop'' [[Penguin Group]], 2012</ref> over four times greater than its eventual selling price. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* |
* {{Official website|http://www.gilt.com/}} |
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{{Hudson's Bay Trading Company, L.P.}} |
{{Hudson's Bay Trading Company, L.P.}} |
Latest revision as of 18:18, 17 December 2024
Company type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | E-commerce |
Founded | 2007 |
Founders | Kevin P. Ryan, Michael Bryzek, Phong Nguyen, Alexis Maybank, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson |
Headquarters | New York, N.Y. , USA |
Key people | Jonathan Greller (President)[1] |
Owner | Rue La La |
Number of employees | More than 1000 [2] |
Website | gilt |
Gilt is an American online shopping launched in 2007.[3] On January 7, 2016, The company was sold to Hudson's Bay Company for approximately $250 million. Prior to the Hudson's Bay acquisition, sales were exceeding growth projections but the firm had not been profitable yet.[4][5][6][7] On June 4, 2018, Boston, Massachusetts-based Rue La La acquired Gilt from Hudson's Bay.[8]
History
[edit]Gilt Groupe is based in New York City with warehouses in Brooklyn, New York, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Shepherdsville, Kentucky.
The company was co-founded by Kevin P. Ryan, Michael Bryzek and Phong Nguyen, with Alexis Maybank, and Alexandra Wilson joining shortly after the company's inception;[9] who modeled Gilt after Vente-Privee, an online fashion retailer in France. The original business plan consisted of "flash sales," selling a limited number of luxury designer items at steep discounts for brief periods.[4]
The company launched women's clothing and accessories in November 2007 and menswear in April 2008. It added Gilt Groupe Japan, Gilt Fuse, and travel site Jetsetter in 2009.[10] It later added, Gilt City and Gilt Home in 2010 and Gilt Taste in 2011.[11]
In 2009, growth equity firm General Atlantic led a series C funding round, joined by previous investor Matrix Partners.[12][13] By February 2014, Gilt Groupe was preparing for an IPO.[14]
In 2010, Gilt acquired luxury deal-of-the-day site Bergine.[15] This was the first of several acquisitions.
According to Business Insider, during its "hyper-growth years, the company overextended itself and lost focus", as the expanded business segments such as "Full-price retail, travel, and food were sucking resources from Gilt's core categories — discounted women's fashion", and Gilt was forced to sell these non-core businesses at a loss. Flash sales companies were also seeing slower growth, thanks in part to e-mail fatigue (the key means for flash sales to be promoted) with e-mail providers increasingly classifying thыШгж ese messages as spam). The IPO kept getting delayed and ending up never happening, while the firm never reached profitability.[citation needed] By 2015, Gilt was raising money "at a lower valuation than the $1 billion at which it reportedly raised $138 million in 2011". Such a cash infusion is known as "down round" which hurts employee morale and devalues the founders' stakes.[4][5][6][7]
On January 7, 2016, Gilt Groupe announced its acquisition by Hudson's Bay Company, owner of luxury department store chains Hudson's Bay, Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue, for $250 million.[16]
In June 2018 it was announced the HBC would be selling Gilt to Rue La La.[17][18]
On October 2, 2019, Gilt Groupe and Simon Property Group announced a joint venture for ShopPremiumOutlets.com, an online shopping platform focused on its outlet malls, to create a new e-commerce platform dedicated to value shopping.[19]
Business
[edit]Gilt Groupe visitors must be members in order to view sales. Sales last 36–48 hours and feature merchandise from a single brand or small groups of brands. The firm purchases vendor inventory at an extreme discount, adding a margin in order to make a profit. On August 22, 2011, Gilt Groupe added a Facebook shopping section.[20] Android and iPhone apps allow mobile shopping, and access is also available for other smartphone and tablet devices.
Book
[edit]Penguin Group printed a history of Gilt Groupe in 2012 written by two of its founders, Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson. By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop was published before Gilt was bought out by Hudson's Bay;[21] At that time the firm was valued at more than $1 billion,[22] over four times greater than its eventual selling price.
References
[edit]- ^ Team | Gilt Groupe | About Archived 2012-04-07 at the Wayback Machine. Gilt.com.
- ^ Gilt Groupe - Company Overview
- ^ "Author Series with Alexis Maybank of Gilt Groupe". New York Technology Council. August 7, 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20.
- ^ a b c "Four years ago Gilt Groupe was the hottest startup in New York — Here's what happened". Business Insider. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- ^ a b O'Brien, Sara Ashley. "Has Gilt Groupe hit the clearance rack?". CNNMoney. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- ^ a b "Gilt Groupe sale leaves winners, losers and a cautionary tale". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- ^ a b "Gilt Groupe's Very Cloudy Future". Recode. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- ^ Segran, Elizabeth (2018-06-04). "Breaking: Rue La La acquires Gilt Groupe". Fast Company. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ^ Kucera, Danielle (June 21, 2011). "Stilettos Invade Startups as Niche-Shopping Sites Attract Women". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ Shambora, Jessica (September 30, 2009). "Gilt Groupe's Jetsetter takes off". CNN.
- ^ Fabricant, Florence (2011-05-17). "Gilt Taste Arrives, With Ruth Reichl at the Helm". The New York Times.
- ^ McMahan, Ty. "Venture Capitalists Prove They Have A Fashion Sense". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ "Gilt Groupe, Inc. Announces New Growth Capital Investment". PRNewswire. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ Strugatz, Rachel (13 February 2014). "Gilt IPO Puts Eyes on Flash Model". WWD. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
- ^ Fowler, Geoffrey A. (2010-10-26). "Gilt Makes its First Acquisition: Bergine". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ "Gilt Groupe to Announce Sale to Saks Fifth Avenue Owner as Soon as Thursday Morning". Re/code. Archived from the original on 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
- ^ La, Rue La. "Rue La La to Acquire Gilt". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2019-06-18.
- ^ "HBC To Shutter Home Outfitters Chain, Up To 20 Saks OFF 5TH Stores - Retail TouchPoints". www.retailtouchpoints.com. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
- ^ "Simon Property to invest $280M in online shopping venture". Recode. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
- ^ August 22, 2011 Gilt goes after Facebook shoppers internetretailer.com
- ^ Essential Business Reads Business Week 2012-04-13
- ^ Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop Penguin Group, 2012