Gilt Customer Care: An Expert, Practical Guide

Gilt is a U.S.-based flash-sale retailer founded in 2007 and known for limited-time events on designer fashion, home, and lifestyle goods—often advertised at up to 70% off retail. Since 2018, Gilt has operated under Rue Gilt Groupe (formed when Rue La La acquired Gilt from Hudson’s Bay Company), which influences shared policies around shipping passes, returns, and service operations. Because events are time-bound and inventory is constrained, getting quick, accurate support is essential to secure or resolve orders efficiently.

This guide distills how to reach Gilt customer care, expected response times, returns and shipping details, payment and credit nuances, and escalation paths. Where policies can vary by item or event, you’ll find precise cues for where to confirm the definitive rule on your specific purchase.

How to Contact Gilt Customer Care

The most reliable way to reach Gilt is through the Help Center at https://help.gilt.com. Log in to your Gilt account so the system can attach your order history and show contact options tailored to your issue (returns, missing items, shipping delays, billing, etc.). You’ll typically see a “Submit a request” form and, during peak hours, chat. If you can’t log in, use the Help Center search to locate guest pathways and recovery steps for your account email.

In-app and web chat are usually the fastest. When chat is unavailable (late nights or peak demand), use the request form and include your order number, item SKU(s), photos (for damage/defect), and a succinct description of the issue. Gilt does not consistently publish a general phone number for customer care; the online Help Center is the default gateway and the best avenue to maintain a documented ticket trail.

Response Times and Service Levels

Typical live chat wait times are 1–10 minutes during business hours on weekdays, but can extend to 15–20 minutes around major sale launches, holidays (especially November–December), and long weekends. If you can’t wait, submit a request and you’ll receive an email confirmation with a ticket number within a few minutes.

Email/ticket replies are commonly within 24–48 business hours. Complex cases requiring vendor coordination or warehouse investigation (e.g., partial shipments, carrier exceptions) often resolve within 3–5 business days. Refunds generally post 5–10 business days after Gilt processes your return, depending on your bank/card. Credits applied to your Gilt account are often visible within minutes of processing.

Orders, Shipping, and Delivery

Because many Gilt items ship directly from brands or are consolidated after a sale ends, there are two timeframes to watch: “processing to ship” and “in-transit.” Processing can range from 2–4 business days for in-warehouse items to 7–14 business days for vendor-shipped items noted on the product page. Once shipped, standard delivery in the contiguous U.S. is typically 3–7 business days depending on the carrier and distance.

Gilt sometimes offers a 30-day shipping pass model: pay once at checkout and get free standard shipping on additional orders placed within 30 days. The price and terms can vary by promotion and are disclosed at checkout; if offered, you’ll see the pass option directly in your cart. Note that oversized/heavy items, certain home goods, or special delivery methods can carry surcharges even with a pass, which will be clearly itemized before you pay.

Tracking and Lost Packages

Gilt uses major U.S. carriers, and tracking is posted to your order page as soon as a label is created. If tracking shows “Label Created” for more than 3–4 business days without movement, contact customer care with your order number and tracking link so they can nudge the warehouse or vendor.

For packages marked “Delivered” that you cannot locate, check alternate entrances, building mailrooms, and with neighbors. Contact support within 48 hours of the delivery scan; carriers often require a quick survey or affidavit for a trace. Gilt can usually start an investigation within 1 business day and will update you by email as the carrier responds, typically within 3–7 business days.

Returns, Exchanges, and Refunds

Return eligibility is displayed on each product page and in your order details; many items on Gilt are Final Sale and cannot be returned. Eligible items usually have a 30-day return window from delivery, must be unworn/unused, with tags and original packaging. Footwear should be tried on carpet only, and beauty items typically must be sealed to qualify.

Depending on the item and event, refunds may go to your original payment method or as Gilt Credit. When using a prepaid Gilt return label, a return shipping fee may be deducted from your refund or credit; the exact fee is disclosed when you generate the label. Once your return is scanned by the carrier, Gilt may show a “return in transit” status; processing at the facility typically takes 2–5 business days, after which refunds post per your bank’s timeline (5–10 business days) or credits appear in your account shortly thereafter.

• Start a return: Go to Account > Orders, select the order, choose the item, and click “Return Item.”
• Select the reason, review whether the refund goes to your card or to Gilt Credit, and note any return shipping fee.
• Print the prepaid label and drop off within the stated window; retain the drop-off receipt and tracking number.
• If your item arrived damaged/defective, upload clear photos and report within 7 days of delivery for the fastest resolution.

Price Adjustments, Cancellations, and Order Changes

Given Gilt’s limited-time event model and constrained inventory, price adjustments are generally not offered if an item is discounted further after purchase or appears in a later event at a lower price. You can ask, but approvals are uncommon due to vendor agreements and event pricing rules.

Order edits (size changes, address updates) are rarely possible after checkout because orders are quickly routed to fulfillment or vendor systems. If you must cancel, act immediately: open chat or submit a request with “URGENT—Cancel Order #xxxxxx” in the subject. Cancellations are not guaranteed and are only possible before the order locks for processing. If an unwanted order ships, use the eligible return path on arrival.

Payments, Gilt Credit, and Gift Cards

Gilt accepts major U.S. debit/credit cards and commonly supports digital wallets at checkout on web or app (availability varies by device and promotion). If a payment fails, verify your billing address exactly matches your card issuer’s records and that you haven’t exceeded any per-transaction or daily limits your bank enforces. For split tenders (gift card plus card), ensure the gift balance fully applies before authorizing the card amount.

Gilt Credit can be promotional (from events or service gestures) or from returns. Promotional credits may carry expiration dates—check the expiration shown under Account > Credits. Gift card balances and credits issued due to returns of gift-card-purchased items typically do not expire where prohibited by law, but always review the details on your credit screen. Credits generally apply automatically on your next eligible order; you can deselect them at checkout if you prefer to save the balance.

International, APO/FPO, and Special Addresses

Product pages and checkout will indicate whether an item can ship beyond the contiguous U.S. Some items cannot ship to P.O. boxes, Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories, especially oversized or hazmat-restricted goods (e.g., pressurized beauty items). Delivery to APO/FPO/DPO is limited and depends on item type; expect longer transit times (often 10–20 business days) where available.

Taxes are calculated at checkout based on your delivery address. If you ship to a state with marketplace tax collection, you’ll see estimated taxes before placing the order. For split shipments, tax may be allocated across packages and will reconcile on your final invoice.

What to Include When Contacting Support

Providing precise, complete information shortens resolution time—especially for time-sensitive events or limited-return windows. Before you open chat or submit a ticket, assemble the essentials below and paste them into your first message to skip back-and-forth.

• Order number, item name/SKU, and purchase date; attach screenshots if helpful.
• Photos for damage/defect claims: full item, close-up of the issue, packaging/labels, and the packing slip.
• Tracking link and a brief timeline (e.g., “No movement for 4 business days,” or “Delivered yesterday; package not found”).
• Preferred remedy (replacement, refund to original payment, or Gilt Credit) where the policy allows.

Escalation and Formal Complaints

If a case stalls beyond the quoted timeframe, reply within the same ticket and ask for a supervisor review. Keep everything in one ticket so the history remains intact. If a vendor is involved, request a written ETA; most escalations resolve within 3–5 business days once a supervisor engages.

For billing disputes you cannot resolve after documented attempts, you may exercise protections from your card issuer. File chargebacks only as a last resort—Gilt can often resolve issues faster and more cleanly with a supervisor’s help. Keep records: order confirmations, chat transcripts, carrier scans, and photos typically suffice to close most cases favorably.

For current policies, your definitive source is the product page, your order details, and the Help Center articles linked from those screens. Because flash events and vendor terms change, always confirm return windows, refund destinations (card vs. credit), and any fees as shown for your exact item at checkout and in your account after purchase.