Daily deal sites like Groupon and Living Social have changed the way many of us shop online. And, what started out as a movement for local companies to reach new audiences has turned into a way for companies of all sizes to reach audiences all over the world.
Groupon hit the web in 2008, and according to a recent study by a consumer marketing research company, 50 percent of U.S. consumers are aware of Groupon, and 20 percent regularly receive emails from the site. While investors debate if Groupon’s business model can continue to produce results, other companies like Living Social, DealChicken, ScoutMob – and even Amazon and Google – are following Groupon’s lead.
Following on the road created by companies like Groupon, a new crop of targeted shopping sites have emerged over the past few years that reach deal-hungry consumers in niche markets. These sites offer limited quantities or limited time offers to smaller audiences like new moms, foodies, pet lovers, the style obsessed or shoppers hoping to decorate their home with very modern accessories. They rarely, if ever, offer local deals, but they do offer the opportunity to buy unique or exclusive brands at decent discounts. And, unlike Groupon, there is no need for a certain number of others to buy into the deal for it to be “active.”
We listed a five of our favorite niche sites below. But, beware – These sites can be addictive and can quickly drain your monthly budget allocation for clothing or accessories!
The Best Site for New Moms – Zulily: My personal favorite as a new mom. This site is packed with great deals on many brands you cannot find at stores in Nashville. The site has deals on baby clothes and accessories, toys, maternity clothes, women;s attire and home goods. They frequently have organic clothing options and offer great deals on popular toy brands like Melissa and Doug and Disney. The site requires membership (free) and send daily emails about new deals. The only real downside with Zulily is that you cannot be in a hurry to get your items. They act as a sort of middleman for deals. So once you order something from Zulily, it can take an annoying number of weeks to arrive.
The Second Best Site for New Moms -Totsy:Another great site for those with kiddos. This site offers a wide range of brands of baby and toddler clothing and accessories, maternity and women’s clothing and shoes, toys, home goods and other finds. I find that this site seems to offer a wider range of goods than Zulily (sometimes an odd mix), but they do have some great brands. Again, ordering from Totsy can take a while, but I have found that they are a bit faster than Zulily. This site also requires membership (free) and sends you email updates on new deals.
The Best Site for Your Inner Hipster - Fab: This is the site for anyone seeking something hip to eat, drink, wear or place in their home. The site is packed with fun, modern items at all price points (Need an iPhone cover for $10 or an”Upcycled Rocking Bed” for $3,500?). The site requires membership (free) and offers update emails focused on one niche area a day: Fashion on Tuesday, Foodies on Sunday, Pets on Thursday, etc. Deals usually last for several days, but quantities are limited. This site is dense and offers a wide range of items that you would be hard pressed to find outside of New York, Chicago or San Francisco.
The Best Site for Decorating Your Home – OneKingsLane: Newlywed Candace Price loves this site for its wide range of home decor options. From modern accessories to fine china in fancy floral patterns, this site has something for every home decorator. The site is dense and they usually offer new deals every day. Again, deals often last for several days, but quantities are limited. The site requires membership (free) and my personal experience is that the items are high quality and delivery options were reasonable.
The Best Site for Looking Good in Great Brands - Gilt: Looking for a deal on Thomas Pink, Joe Jeans, Valentino or other exclusive brand? This is the site for you. Gilt offers deals on a wide range of well and not so well known designers at a range of price points (A Valentino men’s suit might run you $499. A women’s Sam & Lavi sweater is only $49). Again, this site requires free registration and will send you daily emails about new sales.
Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know!
