Golden Tote

[JenTX]

I decided to pass this month. At first I was 100% getting a tote but after seeing the surprises and realizing I have more clothes than most malls I decided to take a month off. I did order a surprise tote last month and easily traded the one item I didn't care for.

Yeah I'm debating on whether or not I will do a tote again this month. I definitely got value out of it and loved both items I received (I got the $49 tote).

I've just spent a lot of money at Nordstrom's anniversary sale in the last week (close to a grand - no judging - things for my hubby too).... So I feel like I should probably take a break on the clothes shopping for the next 30-45 days or so... Haha.

I'm sure there will be something I want though and I will get tempted by something!

On the bright side - at least someone gave me a Sephora gift card yesterday so I have some money to spend at their upcoming Rouge event that I won't feel bad about!

 

[rachelshine]

@ agreed. I definitely don't know how people get totes every month. I am a) jealous they have that kind of cash flow and b ) usually find that even if I did, I don't seem to find that I love it enough that I would have been happy. 

I feel like a tote every FEW months tho, heck yes! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[JenTX]

@ agreed. I definitely don't know how people get totes every month. I am a) jealous they have that kind of cash flow and b ) usually find that even if I did, I don't seem to find that I love it enough that I would have been happy. 

I feel like a tote every FEW months tho, heck yes! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Yeah I'm amazed at some of the girls in the Facebook group who have like 3 totes per month.

 

[JenTX]

@@rachelshine I spoke too soon. They just posted some teasers on the Facebook group and there are way too many cute things.

 

[rachelshine]

@ bahah, I was thinking the same thing!! The dresses, they slay me every time. I am hoping the short one is in the $49 tote. 

 

[JenTX]

@ bahah, I was thinking the same thing!! The dresses, they slay me every time. I am hoping the short one is in the $49 tote. 

Yeah it's so bad! 

I want all of these:



And maybe this:



(It's probably too short for me so I'm on the fence)

I really really really want that dress with the sleeves though!

 

[rachelshine]

@ I am eyeing that last one you posted!!! Also, god that model is gorgeous!! Just not fair how pretty she is!!! 

 

[JenTX]

@@rachelshine I know! It's annoying how she looks perfect in ANYTHING!

 

[goldenstateerin]

I have been researching this for a few weeks now and I cannot decide whether or not to get one. I can only afford the $49 and it seems like most of the items I'm interested in are in the $149 tote. I love that I can pick out one of the items in the bag. And, I can find 2-3 items I like in the cheaper price range. But it's such a gamble. For the price, I want to get my money's worth.

From your experience(s), do you think the risk is worth the money? How hard is it to trade/swap clothes and are the sizes typically true-to-size?

By the way, if you haven't looked on Facebook, they have a whole album of August spoilers (as of July 29)!

 

[ChicagoBlonde]

[SIZE=12pt]So I held off mentioning my July totes because they were such messes. I ordered a 149$ tote (6 items) and a surprise tote (4 items), both in large. Each tote had one damaged item and one medium item, so out of the 10 items total I received; 20% were damaged and 20% were the wrong size. I contacted GT by email with pictures attached, website form and phone with no response to any method after almost two weeks. I then posted a comment on FB and within an hour got a response. I was emailed a pre-paid mailing label and told to send back 6 of the 10 total items and they'll refund me for the 149$ tote. The refund went on my card yesterday so I'm whole again.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I was very annoyed that it took so much effort to get ahold of GT about this. I like GT, I like their clothing but this isn’t the first issue I’ve had with customer service being MIA. I understand they’re still beta but the damaged items were obviously damaged; one was the black and white Cut & Sew shirt with the lace hem and it looked like the sewing machine had pulled the lace through/stitched across it and then someone took a stitch ripper to remove the threads. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I’m waffling on August as I’m rebuilding my wardrobe due switching careers, but since I haven’t gotten a new job yet I don’t want to build a wardrobe and end up somewhere that’s super dressy or casual and I’m the opposite. I probably will get the August tote and if not then I’ll definitely have to get the September/October/November/December ones for cozy fall and winter clothing because I’m going to the Snowbombing Festival in Austria in April and I need to be completely on point for après-ski (après-snowboarding?) and all the hottie Bavarian boys there B) [/SIZE]

 

[LadyManah]

I'm not so sure I fit well with Golden Tote. Loved my first tote, but bought 2 more since then and it just isn't me at all. I don't know if it is because it's summer and I don't really like summer, or if the surprise items in general I just hate, lol. I hated everything except the 2 items I picked for July. :/ So, it was really a huge waste of cash, even assuming the Puella dress would retail for... maybe $70? (I'd pay that much, anyway)

TBH, I'd rather spend $156 at anthropologie and get clothing I LOVE. Even if I get less, I'll love it more. :/

I think it's too much of a gamble for me, but it was super fun getting some totes!

 

[JenTX]

I have been researching this for a few weeks now and I cannot decide whether or not to get one. I can only afford the $49 and it seems like most of the items I'm interested in are in the $149 tote. I love that I can pick out one of the items in the bag. And, I can find 2-3 items I like in the cheaper price range. But it's such a gamble. For the price, I want to get my money's worth.

From your experience(s), do you think the risk is worth the money? How hard is it to trade/swap clothes and are the sizes typically true-to-size?

By the way, if you haven't looked on Facebook, they have a whole album of August spoilers (as of July 29)!

 
I have bought one tote and had a REALLy good experience. I started small with the $49 tote. I picked a shirt in size medium and they sent me a maxi dress in size large based on my profile as my surprise item ($49 tote is a total of 2-3 items and usually if one is a dress it will be 2 items). I appreciated that they actually read the sizing information in my profile to send me the dress in large rather than just send me a medium since I ordered the shirt in a medium. The dress fits perfectly. Had they sent me a medium it would have been a dud. Glad they know the sizing of each of their pieces and whether or not an item is running small/large. Usually when you are picking your non-surprise item there is information in the description about the sizing for that item. I'd also like to point out that I specifically put in my profile that I love maxi dresses and they sent me one as my surprise item. I also called out colors is like and the maxi dress was specifically one of those colors. They really read your profile and try to send things you will like. I say give the $49 a try. It's not too much of a risk and if you don't like the items the trade thread is REALLY active. You don't have to trade, you can also sell.

Lastly, if the two items I got were at Anthro, I believe the top would be priced at $58 and the dress at $118 or $128 so I got a very good deal IMO.

I'm not so sure I fit well with Golden Tote. Loved my first tote, but bought 2 more since then and it just isn't me at all. I don't know if it is because it's summer and I don't really like summer, or if the surprise items in general I just hate, lol. I hated everything except the 2 items I picked for July. :/ So, it was really a huge waste of cash, even assuming the Puella dress would retail for... maybe $70? (I'd pay that much, anyway)

TBH, I'd rather spend $156 at anthropologie and get clothing I LOVE. Even if I get less, I'll love it more. :/

I think it's too much of a gamble for me, but it was super fun getting some totes!

Did you ever try the $49? Also are you in the trades group? I'm sure you can sell your other items and get your money's worth.

I will definitely say regarding Golden Tote, it does cater to one particular style. So, if that's not your style you probably won't like it.

So I held off mentioning my July totes because they were such messes. I ordered a 149$ tote (6 items) and a surprise tote (4 items), both in large. Each tote had one damaged item and one medium item, so out of the 10 items total I received; 20% were damaged and 20% were the wrong size. I contacted GT by email with pictures attached, website form and phone with no response to any method after almost two weeks. I then posted a comment on FB and within an hour got a response. I was emailed a pre-paid mailing label and told to send back 6 of the 10 total items and they'll refund me for the 149$ tote. The refund went on my card yesterday so I'm whole again.

I was very annoyed that it took so much effort to get ahold of GT about this. I like GT, I like their clothing but this isn’t the first issue I’ve had with customer service being MIA. I understand they’re still beta but the damaged items were obviously damaged; one was the black and white Cut & Sew shirt with the lace hem and it looked like the sewing machine had pulled the lace through/stitched across it and then someone took a stitch ripper to remove the threads.

I’m waffling on August as I’m rebuilding my wardrobe due switching careers, but since I haven’t gotten a new job yet I don’t want to build a wardrobe and end up somewhere that’s super dressy or casual and I’m the opposite. I probably will get the August tote and if not then I’ll definitely have to get the September/October/November/December ones for cozy fall and winter clothing because I’m going to the Snowbombing Festival in Austria in April and I need to be completely on point for après-ski (après-snowboarding?) and all the hottie Bavarian boys there B)

Did you try on the mediums? I got a size other than what I ordered but it was because of them knowing that item ran differently size-wise.

Sucks about the damaged items. They seem to be EXTREMELY responsive on the Facebook group to any concerns. I have heard that contacting them the other ways usually takes a least 24 hours for a response though.

 

[goldenstateerin]

I have bought one tote and had a REALLy good experience. I started small with the $49 tote. I picked a shirt in size medium and they sent me a maxi dress in size large based on my profile as my surprise item ($49 tote is a total of 2-3 items and usually if one is a dress it will be 2 items). I appreciated that they actually read the sizing information in my profile to send me the dress in large rather than just send me a medium since I ordered the shirt in a medium. The dress fits perfectly. Had they sent me a medium it would have been a dud. Glad they know the sizing of each of their pieces and whether or not an item is running small/large. Usually when you are picking your non-surprise item there is information in the description about the sizing for that item. I'd also like to point out that I specifically put in my profile that I love maxi dresses and they sent me one as my surprise item. I also called out colors is like and the maxi dress was specifically one of those colors. They really read your profile and try to send things you will like. I say give the $49 a try. It's not too much of a risk and if you don't like the items the trade thread is REALLY active. You don't have to trade, you can also sell.

Lastly, if the two items I got were at Anthro, I believe the top would be priced at $58 and the dress at $118 or $128 so I got a very good deal IMO.

Thanks for all the information. Super helpful and you just convinced me to get the $49 for August!

 

[RenoFab]

I haven't gotten a tote since May. I get excited with the spoilers but then once it comes to deciding and I look at the quality and overall design, I don't bite the bullet. I have sooooo many clothes it is crazy but I really like the MerrickArt designs this month and am kinda in love with the blue swing dress. I know a lot of ppl are saying it looks maternity and is not flattering. I could see that being very true for someone that has a large chest or wide shoulders but I have not chest at all and find that swing dresses give me some illusionary "volume" and this length seems very work appropriate and may transition well into fall. The striped one is calling my name as well. I will probably pick the blue one in the $49 tote and if the striped one is still available in the $149 tote, I may get that one too along with the light blue button up top or the white with black detail blouson top. 

 

[ChicagoBlonde]

Did you ever try the $49? Also are you in the trades group? I'm sure you can sell your other items and get your money's worth.

I will definitely say regarding Golden Tote, it does cater to one particular style. So, if that's not your style you probably won't like it.

Did you try on the mediums? I got a size other than what I ordered but it was because of them knowing that item ran differently size-wise.

Sucks about the damaged items. They seem to be EXTREMELY responsive on the Facebook group to any concerns. I have heard that contacting them the other ways usually takes a least 24 hours for a response though.

I'm in the FB group and usually sell a few items from each tote to defray the subscription cost. The mediums were complete mistakes on GT's end. I'm a DD and sometimes their larges don't fit properly (or I look pregnant) so the mediums are just a no-go.

I have no problem with them being responsive on FB if they didn't provide other ways to contact them. If they want me to complain on FB I'll be happy to do so but then why are they providing a contact us form and a customer service phone number if those methods are ignored? I consider FB and Twitter my last resorts in terms of getting in contact with a company or if their response is garbage, public shaming usually works wonders in getting an issue resolved. The part of me that did marketing thinks it makes a company look completely shoddy if their Twitter feed is full of requests for customer service to contact them or the FB wall has a person complaining about customer service and then fifty-eleven other customers jump on that post with the same issue. I do prefer Twitter as the companies can't delete Tweets directed at them as opposed to companies that delete FB wall posts instead of responding. I worked for a company that would punish or discredit employees that complained about things in an effort to make it appear that everything was perfect so I have a very dim view of companies that aren't responsive to complaints.

But onto August's tote! I'm not seeing anything amazing, maybe the cardigan if it's in the 49$ tote but if not I'll just swap for it or buy it on FB. Come on fall/winter designs, I need my après clothing!

 

[rachelshine]

Wel.....I wasn't going to get a tote this month, but then just got reimbursed for expenses today & have had a hellacious week, so did it. I usually have great luck selling things that don't work for me and recouping my "losses" or trading for items I do want. I really REALLY wanted the Garden Blooms dress but they only had a large left and I think it would be just too big. Hoping that because others snatched up mediums, more will be FSOT this month with the new tote coming in. 

Went with:

The Airy Pocket Dress



and the Summer to Fall Dress

 

[Schmootc]

The pants I wanted are out of my size and the shirt I wanted is out of the color. I logged in at 9:05 Pacific. Five minutes and what I wanted is already gone! Super disappointing. :angry:

 

[RenoFab]

I haven't gotten a tote since May but I GOT TWO TOTES today!!! I got the $49 tote with the Blue Merrick Swing Dress and the $149 tote with the striped Merrick Swing Dress and the Dream Daze Blouse all in small. Hope you all are getting the items you were eyeing!

 

[Schmootc]

Woo hoo, the paisley printed pants were finally available in blue in medium. My shirt wasn't available in the color I wanted, but I got one of the pleated printed ones from a prior month that I'd been wanting for a while instead. Happy birthday to me a day late!

 

[rachelshine]

@@Schmootc yay!!! I was going to respond to you and tell you to check again as they have been restocking whatever they can. Happy birthday indeed!!