Gilt Admits Guilt in Overselling its Designer Target Goods

It may have sold out in mere minutes, but things have not gone smoothly for Gilt Groupe's advance sale of Tucker, Mulberry and John Derian for Target. First, the sale was boycotted by Gilt members in opposition to Target's recent campaign donation to a political candidate known for his anti-gay-marriage stance, then those who did opt to shop were shut out within 60 seconds of the flash sale's start time. And now, some of the lucky ones who did manage to place orders have been since notified that their purchases cannot be processed due to "inventory error" (ie, Gilt oversold its merch).

In lieu of the original items, Gilt is issuing a $25 credit as a consolation for the much-coveted fast grabs that shoppers thought they'd made. Racked has a screen shot of the tragic email here.

Mistakes have been rare in Gilt's two-year history, but despite the site's unchecked success, we've learned from personal experience that customer service hasn't always been seamless. After this Target debacle, some changes might be in the pipeline.

And for anyone still pining for a Mulberry for Target handbag, or one of Tucker's signature-printed blouses, there's still hope: the lines will launch at Target this fall.

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