Secret Sales

History of Secret Sales

Secret Sales, the UK's biggest private online shopping club, is a designer retail website set up in 2007 to bring discounted top end fashion brands to the UK market. It boasts an A-list of brands, from Armani to Yves Saint Laurent, which are offered at a minimum of half price.

The business is the brainchild of brothers Nish and Sach Kukadia who launched Secret Sales while still in their 20s. They grew up in a family steeped in the retail business. Their father was one of the first directors of Pepe and managed Pepe Benelux.

The brothers, after completing their university studies, decided to try and adapt an import-export model that was proving very successful in France to the UK and so Secret Sales was born.

Things took off in 2008 and the advent of the recession helped pave the way for their success as people still wanted luxury items but at a competitive price.

Things weren't easy with many designers reluctant to get on board until there was a track record of success to show but turnover soared from £2m in 2008 to £20m in 2012 and today there are two million members. And this is the key. You have to apply to join the club and be accepted.

This enables the business to maintain an air of exclusivity and privilege rather than act as a TK Maxx for the middle classes, strengthening its hand when trying to get new designers on board.

And Secret Sales offers deluxe bargains for him and her, so whether you're looking for a top of the range business suit to wow the clients or top togs for a night on the town you'll find them here with accessories, beauty and homeware up to 70% off.

Once you're accepted as a member you can log on and find the start date and time of all upcoming sales. Expect brisk bidding on those extra special items. The website also has a blog page which has features on new restaurants, dining tips, a guide to office essentials, a vintage buying guide and spotlights on VIPs and celebrities.

Brands

There's an eye-watering array of brands on offer at Secret Sales and don't forget to check out voucher codes for even more savings. Here are some of the labels available:

• Agent Provocateur
• Armani Jeans
• Azzaro
• Ben Sherman
• Benetton
• Burberry
• Byblos
• Cacharel
• Calvin Klein
• Christian Dior
• Dunhill
• Dolce & Gabbana
• DKNY
• Emporio Armani
• Elizabeth Arden
• Ermenegildo Zegna
• Farhi by Nicole Farhi
• French Connection
• Gucci
• Gloria Vanderbilt
• Issey Miyake
• Jimmy Choo
• John Galliano
• Lacoste
• Moschino
• Moschino
• Paco Rabanne
• Ralph Lauren
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Vivienne Westwood

Departments

There's more to Secret Sales than just clothes. The range includes:

• Shoes
• Underwear
• Accessories
• Jewellery
• Cosmetics
• Homeware
• Art
• Gift Vouchers

Opening times

You can contact customer services at Secret Sales by telephone from 9am until 5pm from Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays. You can also email or write to them.

Delivery Information

Because of the way it operates, don't expect next day delivery when you've bought an item. To bring you the very best deals, Secret Sales works directly with its suppliers and only orders your items once a sale closes.

When you make your purchase you will be advised of a date range in which to expect delivery. Typically this will take between five and 10 days. If you order items from different sales they will be sent out to you as they arrive at Secret Sales.

Delivery charges will vary according to the number of items purchased. On average, the delivery charge for one item is £4.95, rising to £5.95 for two and £6.95 for three or more.

If you are likely to be a frequent buyer, one good way of reducing costs - in addition to making sure you take advantage of any voucher codes - is to sign up for the unlimited delivery option which offers an attractive way to pay for purchases, at a flat charge of £30 for a year.

You can track delivery through the My Account page on the website 24 hours after you receive notification that your item has been dispatched.

Returns Policy

If you order an item that is unsuitable you can return it for a refund within 14 working days. The exceptions are ones that have been tailored or produced solely to your specification, perishable goods, lingerie, hosiery and swimwear, jewellery to fit piercings and cosmetics and skincare.

If you think you may need to return an item one option is to add £3.95 to your order and get a Collect+ label. This allows you to take it to any Collect+ drop-off point for return. Refunds will be made once the item is received and will be made using the same payment method.

Security & Reviews

Secret Sales guarantees peace of mind for its customers with secure online processing using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption.

Secret Sales enjoys very positive reviews on the TrustPilot site, with an overall rating of 'excellent' based on 766 reviews.