Cheryl Shops

Even more online sample sales!
Bricks-and-mortar stores are closing left and right, but online sample-sale sites are multiplying like, well, rabbits. Here are the latest sites to pop up since I last wrote about this phenomenon back in June.

Billion Dollar Babes, everyone's favorite sample sales for people who don't know how to shop sample sales, has recently entered the online game. So far, they've hosted AG Jeans, Taryn Rose shoes, Charriol jewelry, and, currently, Hayden-Harnett bags, which was the first sale I was able to view. So far, nothing is sold out, which is a nice change from the otherwise-excellent Rue La La and Gilt Groupe. However, prices are kind of all over the place--the Ibiza tote is a reasonable $75, but the Jinhee tote, which is $170 here, can be had for $142 on Hayden-Harnett's website. The good thing about BDB is that you don't need a referral to join the site; the flip-side is that you don't get referral credits when your friends join. Also, like Ideeli, you can pay $100 to be a platinum member, which gets you free shipping and two hours of early access to all sales. But you all know how I feel about paying for the privilege to shop.

Secret Style is based on the West Coast and thus fills the void left by the demise of Regent's Secret and also picks up some of Hautelook's slack. They don't have any sales live at the moment, but past sales have includes Reiss, People's Liberation, and Rock & Republic, and upcoming sales are William Rast, Raw7, and Gold Hawk. You don't need a referral to join, but if you do get a $10 credit if your friends join, so if you'd be so kind as to enter my address, cherylshopsblog [at] yahoo [dot] com, well, thanks.

The most exciting development, however, is the announcement of The OutNet, the outlet site from net-a-porter founder Natalie Massenet. Fashionistas are currently salivating over the possibilities, assuming the site will offer high-end designers at super-discounted prices, hopefully with a strong roster of British labels (granted, this is all just speculation). The OutNet isn't live yet--it's launching sometime in the spring--but you can sign up for membership (as of now, it's free--no referrals necessary) and presumably be notified when the site goes live. My credit cards are shivering with anticipation.