Tim's Foundry site (I still can't find that one) reminded me of my very favorite eCommerce model that is getting very popular...club sales sites. They pretty much work like Costco, you become a member and get access to great deals (usually 50% off retail, or more). Unlike Costco, you don't have to pay to join. Usually, you have to be invited by a current member. Or just send in your email and they sit on it for a few days before you get "approved". they're trying to create EXCLUSIVITY here, folks. This is a CLUB, not just a regular internet retail store, right? Right.
Another great part about this, is that these clubs usually reward their evangelists. If someone signs up through you, you get store credit towards purchases. So, if you know a bunch of people interested in similar stuff, you can end up with some really big discounts.
Here are a few of my faves:
TheClymb.com - Outdoor Stuff
LeftLaneSports.com - Sports Stuff
Ideeli.com - Designer Clothes, Travel
Fab.com - Design-forward home stuff and clothing
MyHabit.com - Hip clothes
These sites are an interesting way for brands to clear out excess inventory without devaluing their product on the open market. They also use social media really aggressively in pushing their stores, which is a smart, cheap way to find loyal customers. You won't see any of these deals show up on Google shopping, they're "private events". For the consumer, it's a fun way to get great deals on cool stuff.
Full disclosure: A few of those links are will put me down as a reference for membership, so use them!
Got more? Feel free to share in your comments....
