Far safer than in the physical world where one can be easily bludgeoned by an elbow or shoe, online sample sales have continued to grow in popularity over the past year. Despite the poor economy, shoppers are flocking to the websites of online sample sales like Gilt Groupe, Hautelook, and Rue La La to find designer bargains, creating an additional set of competitors to many apparel retailers. Exclusive memberships by invitation and a race against the clock for limited quantities of high-end merchandise have proven to be a successful (and somewhat addictive) retailing format. Last week, the market share of visits to the custom category increased 600% or 7x the volume of the same week one year ago. Gilt.com and Hautelook captured the highest share of visits within the custom category of online sample sales with 36% and 33%, respectively.

Email continues to be the largest source of traffic to the websites, 34% last week, as members receive emails with alerts of the start times for sales. Cross-shopping on other retail websites – most likely to compare prices and availability and social networks followed as the major drivers of traffic. Apparel retailers are sending 11% of the traffic to the online sample sales emphasizing the potential competitive threat of capturing apparel spending.

The websites are attracting an enviable audience online. Among the visitors to online sample sales, 59% were women for the four weeks ending June 6, 2009, but males are also getting in on the fun and represented 41% of visits. The audience is somewhat younger and somewhat affluent with 68% of visits coming from those under the age of 35 and 62% have a household income that ranges from $60-$150k. Oddly enough, those making over $150k have yet to embrace this new category, despite the availability of many luxury goods.

The greatest share of visits to the online sample sales are coming from major markets like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. However other markets like Green Bay, WI are also among the top 10 DMAs ranked by share of visits, so shoppers are also coming from areas where the products are less accessible offline.