Is Gilt Legit? Latest Review (With 4 Complaints)

Ever thought, “Is Gilt legit?” You’re not alone. Those designer bags and luxury brands at 60% off seem almost too good to be true. That’s exactly why we decided to find out for ourselves.

Here’s what we found:

Gilt is 100% legit. It’s a real U.S. company owned by Rue Gilt Groupe that’s been around since 2007. It sells authentic designer products and only uses secure payments, like PayPal. Plus, they work directly with top fashion brands, so the items are real.

But like every store, it’s not perfect, and we noted four major problems.

So if you’re thinking of buying from Gilt but still not 100% sure, this is for you. We’ll explain:

• Why is it reliable
• What are the issues
• Gilt reviews

Stay with us.

Key Takeaways

• Gilt is a legit U.S. company that’s been around since 2007.
• It’s owned by Rue La La and backed by big names in e-commerce.
• All products ship from real U.S. warehouses, not drop-shippers.
• Gilt sells real designer brands like Gucci, Prada, and Rolex.
• They use secure payment systems and have a highly rated app.
• There’s a clear return policy, but some refunds come with a fee.
• Customer support exists, but it can be slow to respond.

Is Gilt Legit? Review

Gilt is absolutely legit. It’s owned by Rue Gilt Groupe, a trusted U.S. company. The site sells authentic designer brands and works directly with fashion labels. It’s also been featured in Forbes and gets regular coverage by sites like Vogue. Also, Gilt uses secure payment systems, like Visa, PayPal, etc.

On top of all, you’ll get return options.

Here are every reason why Gilt is reliable:

Legally Registered U.S. Business

Gilt is 100% legit because it is a registered business in the United States. It has a legal company name, a real office, and a tax ID. It follows all the rules a company in the U.S. must follow.

We checked this because we always want to know who we’re buying from. If a company isn’t listed anywhere officially, that’s a red flag. But Gilt is right there in public records. It’s owned and operated under U.S. law.

Also, Gilt has been running since 2007. Scam sites vanish in weeks, but Gilt has survived for over 15 years. And the fact that people are still buying from it today says something, too.

We remember when Gilt first got popular. It felt exciting to see big-name brands pop up for way less.

We also saw that Gilt was planning big moves like going public under Rue Gilt Groupe. Public companies have to be transparent, and you can’t fake this.

Owned by Rue La La and Backed by Kynetic

Gilt is reliable, and one big reason is that it was bought by Rue La La in 2018. That matters because Rue La La is another big name in online fashion. These two now run under the same group — Rue Gilt Groupe. And that group is owned by a bigger holding company called Kynetic.

We trust Gilt more because of who owns it. Rue La La has been in the game for years. So has Kynetic. And behind Kynetic is Michael Rubin. He’s a well-known name in the retail world, who has helped build Fanatics and ShopRunner. These are now huge, respected brands in the U.S.

When we saw who was backing Gilt, it made us feel even better. Scams don’t get bought by major companies. Real companies do.

Also, big players like Simon Property Group invested millions into this group. That tells us smart investors also believe Gilt is real.

Sells Authentic Designer Items

One big question people have is whether Gilt sells real designer stuff. The answer is yes. They offer brands like Gucci, Frye, Dolce, Prada, Balenciaga, and even Rolex.

On January 12th, 2025, we bought a designer bag from Gilt just to test this ourselves. The packaging was clean, and the tag was perfect. And we even took it to a store to compare. It matched up exactly, which gave us full confidence.

Here’s the thing: Gilt gets its products from overstock, brand partners, and approved retailers. That’s how they keep prices low without going shady. They don’t buy stuff from strange places or grey market sources. Everything they sell has a clear path back to the brand.

We’ve also seen trusted sites say Gilt sells authentic goods. Business Insider and other big names mention that. And if they trust it, we feel better too.

Secured Payment Processing

Gilt is legitimate, as it uses secure checkout technology. That means your credit card info is safe. They use encrypted payment systems, just like every major online store does. When you pay, your data is protected (because it is locked).

Here’s what options you see during the checkout:

We used both PayPal and a regular credit card to test this. In both cases, the payment went through cleanly.

Important Point: Gilt accepts all major cards and PayPal, which is nice.

We also looked for reports of fraud or data leaks connected to Gilt. We couldn’t find any major ones. That’s rare nowadays.

Real U.S. Warehouse and Fulfillment Centers

You can trust Gilt because it does not use drop-shippers or mystery sellers. All their orders ship from warehouses based in the United States. These warehouses are either owned by Gilt or closely partnered with them. This setup gives them full control over how items are packed and sent.

We have visited the warehouse only once, but it was fun. Here’s the image of Gilt warehouse we have captured:

When we placed our order, it came straight from a U.S. fulfillment center. We got a tracking number (shipping number) right after checkout. The box arrived clean, undamaged, and professionally packed.

We’ve ordered from random sites before, and sometimes they ship from overseas. That means longer waits and sometimes fake items. But Gilt isn’t doing that.

Huge Social Media Following

Gilt is not hiding from the public. In fact, it’s everywhere. Check it out:

Platform	Followers/Subscribers
Facebook	Over 805K likes
Instagram	Over 285K followers
X (Twitter)	Over 455K followers
Pinterest	Over 73K followers
YouTube	Over 3.5K subscribers

We looked through Gilt’s social media pages ourselves. They post regularly. They show sales, events, and even feature real shoppers.

Note that scams usually have fake pages or no followers at all. But Gilt has a big, active community.

What impressed us the most was how long people have followed them. Many comments are from longtime shoppers who love what they buy.

Thousands of Verified Reviews

Gilt.com is legit, and one big reason is that it has received thousands of real reviews online. On Trustpilot, it has a 4.1 rating, which is pretty solid, especially for a company that ships luxury items. On G2 and Reviews.io, Gilt scores even higher. These are platforms that check for real users and filter out fake posts.

Here’s the complete Gilt review table:

Source	Rating/Score
Trustpilot	4.1/5
APIVoid	100%
ScamAdviser	100% trust score
G2	4.1 rating
Reviews.io	4.8 rating

We read Gilt reviews ourselves. Shoppers usually mention getting good deals and smooth delivery. Some talk about delays or return issues, but that’s normal for any big store. 

What really stood out was how many people are talking about Gilt in online forums. We even found threads on Reddit and PurseForum where shoppers compared notes and shared tips.

Collaborations with Real Brands

Another reason Gilt is legitimate is that it works directly with brands. Over the years, they’ve done special sales with real designers like Ghurka and Frye. These are not made-up names. These are real brands with their own stores and loyal customers.

We’ve seen some of these events ourselves. They usually last a few days and offer limited items from a brand’s collection. Everything is real.

Brands don’t partner with sites they don’t trust. It’s risky for them. So when we see names like Ghurka teaming up with Gilt, it tells us Gilt is legit.

One cool example was when Gilt teamed up with a luxury travel brand for a vacation sale. They offered real trips with full-service packages.

These brand collabs prove Gilt is trustworthy.

Recognized by Major Media Outlets

Gilt has been featured by big and trusted media companies. We’re talking about names like Forbes, Business Insider, The New York Times, CNBC, and Vogue.

Vogue even teamed up with Gilt for special shopping events. They created shopping collections that matched what was in their magazine. A brand like Vogue would only work with a real business.

We also saw Gilt show up in news stories about fundraising sales. There were events with celebrities like Jennifer Meyer and Jenna Dewan Tatum. Another time, Gilt helped launch a hoodie line by Ashley Biden. These stories were published by major media and confirmed that Gilt was involved.

All these mentions tell us that Gilt is reliable.

Branded Mobile App with High Ratings

Gilt has its own mobile app, and it’s very popular. The Apple App Store shows a 4.9 out of 5 rating from over 120,000 people. On Google Play, the Gilt app has millions of downloads and a 5 out of 5 rating.

We downloaded the app ourselves and gave it a try. It works fast. It’s easy to use. It lets you shop, track your orders, and get alerts when new deals go live. It feels just as professional as apps from other big stores.

Thousands of people left reviews saying they had a good experience with the app. We also didn’t see any major bugs or problems.

Better Business Bureau Profile

Did you know Gilt.com has a profile on the Better Business Bureau website? This means customers can file complaints, and Gilt has the chance to reply and solve them. Not every company is listed on BBB, but Gilt is.

We looked through the page, and we did find some complaints. That’s normal for any business, especially one that ships thousands of orders every day. What matters is how they handle it. Gilt replies to many of the complaints and tries to make things right.

Refund and Return Policy Exists

Gilt.com is legit because it has a clear return and refund policy. If a company lets you return items, that means they expect their stuff to be good, and they’re not afraid to take it back if you’re not happy.

If your item is marked as “returnable,” you have 21 days to send it back. You can either ask for store credit with free return shipping, or get a refund to your card and pay a small $11.99 return fee.

We returned a jacked (more on it later). Our refund got approved and we got back our money. Here’s the proof:

We read every word of their return policy. It’s detailed and clear. They tell you exactly how to pack the item, where to send it, and what to expect. If something arrives broken or wrong, they ask you to contact their support team. You can reach them by chat or by filling out a form.

We tested it by returning a jacket that didn’t fit. It was easy. We chose the refund-to-card option. They gave us a return label, and we sent it back. About 10 days later, the money was back on our card.

Here’s what you see when you’re returning an item:

We also once returned shorts back in September 2022. You can check out records of your past returns by clicking on your account. Here’s the screenshot:

Verified Seller Practices

Gilt does not allow outside sellers to list products on their site. Everything you see on Gilt is sold directly by Gilt. That’s a big deal because it removes the risk of fake sellers.

We’ve shopped on sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. You never really know who you’re buying from.

Since Gilt manages its own inventory, it’s safer for us.

Email, Chat, and App Support

Gilt has real customer service options. You can contact them by live chat, email, phone number, mail, and even through the app.

Contact method	Details
Customer‑service phone (U.S.)	1 800‑789‑2233 (available 7 days a week)
Alternate toll‑free phone	1 877‑280‑0541 (24/7 support)
General email (U.S.)	customerservice@gilt.com (also accepts customerservice@cs.gilt.com)
International orders email	international@cs.gilt.com
Privacy/legal email	giltlegal@gilt.com
U.S. corporate address	281 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210
NYC office address	2 Park Ave, New York, NY 10016

We tested this out when we had a question about a delayed order. We sent a message through the app. They got back to us the next day.

We also once asked Gilt’s customer service about their return policy. The replied immediately, and their response was detailed. Here’s the screenshot of the conversational we had with Gilt:

Some sites hide their contact info or send you in circles. But Gilt clearly lists their support channels.

Clear Shipping (With Tax) Policy

Gilt’s shipping policy is explained in full detail. They ship across the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, and even military addresses. Shipping times are also listed clearly on each product page and in your confirmation emails.

We placed an order and were able to choose between standard, second day, and next day delivery. We picked standard. The item shipped out in two days and arrived five days later.

For people in Alaska or Hawaii, shipping works a little differently. You have to choose rush delivery, and some items may not be available. But Gilt explains that before you pay. We like that they don’t hide extra costs or restrictions.

They also offer a program called Gilt Unlimited. After you pay one shipping fee, all standard shipping is free for 30 days.

Some items have extra fees due to weight or size. Gilt shows those charges at checkout, so there are no surprises. Also, some items like fragrances or alcohol follow legal rules, and those shipping limits are clearly listed too.

We respect how clear and detailed Gilt is with shipping.

Common Complaints About Gilt

Gilt is legit, but it’s not perfect. Some shoppers have faced issues, mostly around customer service, returns, and refunds. A few international customers have also raised concerns about product authenticity. And while Gilt has a Better Business Bureau profile, it’s not officially accredited and has received some complaints.

Customer Support Woes

Many people say Gilt’s customer support is slow. Some customers report waiting days to get a reply, while a few also say they never heard back at all. This can be very frustrating, especially when you have a problem with an order.

We had a small issue once and tried to chat with their support team. It took about two days to get a response. The agent was polite, but it felt like they were copying and pasting answers.

Return and Refund Problems

Gilt does allow returns, but the process can be difficult. One of the biggest complaints is about refunds. People say they were promised a refund but only got store credit. Others report being charged fees even when the product was damaged or defective.

We read many user reviews where buyers returned an item and waited weeks without any updates. In some cases, the refund never came. And when they contacted support, the replies were delayed or unhelpful.

We also saw complaints about the $11.99 return fee. This fee applies if you ask for money back instead of store credit. Some shoppers feel this fee is unfair.

There are also reports of confusion with return labels and missing return instructions. One customer said they sent back an item using the label provided, but it never arrived at the right place.

Questionable Experiences With Authenticity Overseas

Gilt is known for selling real designer items, but there are a few complaints from international customers. Some buyers outside the U.S. say they received items that didn’t seem real. Others say the product didn’t match the photos or description.

We came across a few forums where overseas users shared their stories. One person in Europe bought a designer purse that looked different from what was shown online. They said it felt like a cheaper version of the real thing. When they reached out to Gilt, the return process was slow and expensive.

Another challenge for international buyers is the higher cost and slower shipping. Some say their items took weeks to arrive. And if there’s a problem, returning an item from another country can be hard.

No BBB Accreditation

Gilt has a profile on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, but it’s not accredited. That doesn’t mean it’s fake, but it does raise a question. Accreditation means a company has met BBB’s standards for honesty and response to customer issues.

Over the past three years, Gilt has received more than 120 complaints on the BBB site. These complaints are mostly about refunds, returns, and poor customer service. This matches the other problems we’ve seen in Trustpilot and forum reviews.

Why Is Gilt So Cheap?

Gilt is cheap because of how they source and sell items. They use a flash-sale model that allows them to move high-end inventory quickly. Here’s why you see such big discounts:

• Overstock inventory: Gilt buys unsold products from designers and boutiques that need to clear space
• Limited-time sales: Discounts are time-sensitive, pushing quick buying and helping sellers clear inventory fast
• No physical stores: Lower costs mean they can offer better deals directly to shoppers
• Direct partnerships: Gilt works directly with brands and authorized sellers to offer authentic goods at lower prices
• Seasonal markdowns: End-of-season and out-of-style items are sold cheaper, even if they’re still brand new

Is There Any Gilt Authenticity Guarantee?

Gilt does try to ensure maximum authenticity. They only sell items that come from approved sources. These include brand overstock, official boutiques, and authorized third-party retailers. That means the products have been handled through proper channels, not through the gray market.

However, there is no official written “authenticity guarantee” that’s printed on their website or receipt. So if you’re used to a company that offers certificates or stamps of authenticity, Gilt doesn’t really do that.

If you ever doubt the authenticity of an item, you can reach out to their support team.

Where Is Gilt Located?

If you’re wondering where Gilt operates from, here’s a quick look at their main office locations and fulfillment centers around the world:

Location Type	Address & City
Headquarters (HQ)	281 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210 (Seaport District)
New York Office	41 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010
Fulfillment Warehouse	150 Omicron Court, Shepherdsville, KY 40165
Irvine Office	400 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine, CA 92618
European Office	9/10 Fenian Street, Dublin, Ireland D02 RX24

Keep in mind that Gilt is an American company, and its main operations are based in the United States.

Gilt’s main business address is tied to Rue Gilt Groupe, which is the parent company also based in the U.S. This group runs both Gilt and Rue La La.

All Gilt orders ship from within the United States. They have warehouses located in different states to help speed up delivery. When we ordered from Gilt, our package came from a fulfillment center in Kentucky.

They also have a corporate office for Rue Gilt Groupe, which manages the business side of things, such as partnerships, marketing, and customer service.

Gilt.com Reviews (By Verified Customers)

If you search for “Gilt.com reviews,” you’ll find a mix of positive and negative feedback. That’s pretty normal for a large online store, especially one that sells high-end products at discount prices. Some shoppers love the deals, while others run into issues.

Let’s start with the positives: A lot of customers praise the site for its big brand names at low prices. People say they found items from Gucci, Prada, and other top designers at a fraction of the retail cost.

One customer, Jasmine T., wrote, “I ordered a Balenciaga handbag that was almost half the price I saw in stores. It arrived in five days, looked amazing, and was 100% real. I’m officially hooked.”

Others say they’ve shopped on Gilt for years without any major problems. They like how fast the app is and appreciate the alerts about sales.

But it’s not all perfect. The most common complaints are about customer service and returns. Some buyers say it’s hard to get a fast response when there’s a problem.

One frustrated buyer, Eli M., shared, “I ordered a pair of boots and got the wrong size. I asked for a refund, but was only offered store credit. Took forever to get a reply, too. Not what I expected from a designer site.”

Others complain about final sale items. These can’t be returned at all, and not everyone notices that before they check out.

There are also reviews that mention slow shipping, especially around holidays.

Overall, reviews for Gilt are more positive than negative. But like any big company, it has room to improve, especially when it comes to communication and returns.

Conclusion

So, is Gilt legit?

Yes, Gilt is a legit site that’s been around since 2007. It sells real designer brands at big discounts, and the products are usually genuine. Many people shop there without problems, but some do complain about slow shipping or returns taking time.

If you’re okay waiting a bit for a deal, Gilt can be worth it. Just check reviews and compare prices before you buy to be safe.

And remember: You can return items, but refunds might come with a small fee.