Bargains feel almost like our birthright – and a boon to this has been the explosion of online flash sale sites. Their curated inventories at limited-life deep discounts are particularly conducive to busy women, combining efficiency with a high sense of reward. Among the most popular and pervasive now are group-activated deal sites Groupon and Living Social – as well as the original invitation-only luxury flash sale site (whose founder and Executive Mom member Alexandra Wilkis Wilson we recently profiled): Gilt Groupe.
What you may not have already discovered is that there is an emergent sub-category of flash sale sites specifically focused on kids and moms. In addition to sites like Gilt that have expanded to have notable kids sections, here are a few of our favorite kids and moms-only players:
Kids Sales – in a Flash
The Mini Social features some of the trendiest brands in the children’s market at exclusive prices, typically 50% off, or even more. Current sales running now include those for Baby Eggi, Little Ruler, Lola et Moi and Pazitos shoes, as well as toys and books from Random House, Diggin and Plan Toys, Returns are possible (within 21 days for credit, other than items indicated as final sale). Particularly noteworthy is their fulfillment of the “social” part of their name, via a strong commitment to social causes. Since their launch in 2008, The Mini Social has been a donor to various children’s charities including Shoe4Africa, The Smile Train, SPD Foundation, TransFair USA, The Skin Cancer Foundation and Baby2Baby.
Zulily offers daily sales events on top-quality apparel, gear and other goodies for moms, babies and kids, with savings as high as 90% off retail prices. On any given day, the site features at least five brands ranging from well-known to up-and-coming, with each sale lasting 72 hours. One convenient feature is navigation that allows you to filter their sales by age (infant, toddler, kids, women) and gender. Current sales for kids include MiniBasix, Squeeze, Adidas, Kidlandia, Punkster, as well as DeVine, Green Apple and Candice handbags boutiques for women.
Totsy offers moms on-the-go and moms-to-be access to brand-specific sales at up to 70% off retail, for moms and their kids (ages 0-7). Categories include prenatal care products, baby gear, travel accessories, bedding and bath, children’s clothing, toys, DVDs, and educational materials. Each sale lasts 48 to 72 hours, and membership is by invitation or request only. Current sales include Banana Cabana, Disney Jewelry, Haiden Surf, Infantino, and Jo Jo Designs. Of note: Totsy is 100% eco-friendly and carries its own social responsibility halo; with every purchase, Totsy offers to plant one tree in the name of your child to help reduce the effects of deforestation.
Plum District is daily deal site geared towards smart, savvy moms. More like a Groupon than Gilt, each day, Plum District sends members a deal a day that relates to moms and their busy lives – everything from spa treatments and restaurants to family outings and kids’ activities. Plum District has local daily deals available in select cities nationwide: San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Orange County, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, and Washington DC/Baltimore … however an “Everywhere” edition is geographically-agnostic and thus good for all. Recent deals have included $25 for $50 worth of personalized jewelry from POSH Mommy Jewelry, $10 for $20 worth of personalized kids’ labels from Oliver’s Labels, and $15 for $30 worth of hip baby, kid and adult gifts from Think Hip.
DoodleDeals is also a city based, daily deal site, with limited time offers centered exclusively around families – at this time, specifically New York families. Each day, subscribers receive an offer discounting kids’ products and services from the New York area as much as 85%, for a limited (i.e. 48 hour) period. Deals extend to children’s haircuts, early-development classes, stroller-friendly cafés, concert tickets, nursery furniture and more. Recent deals include 50% a VIP Package for John Tartaglia’s ImaginOcean, 50% off a week of prepared meals from Chefs Diet and 63% off a 3-pack of violin lessons from Crackerjack Kidz.
Add Your Comment