The best kept secret of online shopping

It seemed like a pretty genius plan, starting a group chat to ensure we don't make any bad purchases. The intention was for our spending habits to become much more acceptable, read: spend less. The result? A shopping-crazy bunch that sends each other discount codes and bags non-stop. You can take the girl out of the shop, but you can't take the shop out of the girl, let's leave it at that.

My most recent contribution to the app is the best-kept secret in online shopping ever. An online shop where you buy items with sometimes almost eighty, I repeat: eighty percent discount. But it's members only, so a select club benefits from the premium and luxury brands. But hold on, let's rein in the shopping fever, we wanted info, first-hand, because a lot of promises and little delivery... You get it. That's why CEO Marian Schikora of Best Secret answered five questions we needed to know the answers to. And afterwards, he also gives away a designer bag.

1. Best Secret, what do we need to know?

“It is a fashion community that works with a closed system, you need to receive an invitation from a member before you can shop. Best Secret is the largest in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Once you're in, it's basically ‘Open Sesame’. With an assortment of 3000 pieces and 7 million items in stock, you will always find something within your taste and budget.”

2. Why is it members only?

“It's not to make you feel special, to be a kind of VIP, or a marketing gag. The trade in textiles is in our DNA, because we have been around for eighty years and have been working with brands and designers for just as long. Brands naturally want to sell at full price, and we don't want to disrupt that, which is why a sale cannot be public. With us, you have to be invited; it's a closed system because we only want a carefully selected audience.”

3. What makes Best Secret different from others?

“It's based on word-of-mouth. The fashion industry is so fast, but we go for reliable merchandise. It's a success; you gain access to merchandise that others don't get. Because our company has been around for 80 years, we get the first call for a sale and have the premier pick. That's why Best Secret has items on sale early in the season.”

4. And how does it work?

“If you are a member, you choose from new items every day. It's not a flash sale; we sell what we have in stock in our warehouse, we have 7 million items in stock. Within 24 hours, it's on its way to one of our members. At midnight, new products come online, and then you see a spike in visits. Best Secret is for everyone who is interested in fashion. And if you don't walk around naked, then you have that. You should always check Best Secret first if you're looking for something because the chances are high that we have it.’

5. And finally: a bit about your own label...

“Lawrence Grey is our private label; it's a beautiful extension of the comfortable basics and classics in our assortment. It's a great product, and you get value for your money.”

Best Secret has been in my life for a week now, and honestly: I've peeked every day. At those cowboy boots, at those loafers, at that bag, from brands that make me a bit breathless. Now I understand that you want to look around too. And we managed to arrange that for exactly 100 readers of Amayzine. What do you need to do? Click on this link, and you also immediately have a chance to win a designer bag. A de-sign-er bag, yes. And discounts of up to 80 percent. Why are you still reading? Hurry, you want to go to Best Secret.