Who says that good things can’t come from a down market?  The private event sale sites have been thriving in this economic environment, and have seen a great deal of activity this week.  So we have named them to this week’s Rollcall list. 

It is such a lucrative business that Saks Fifth Avenue recently held its own private sale by invitation only.  Today we learned that even the DailyCandy is joining the ranks of the members only sale events.  They are launching Swirl, an online sample sale site where they will sell designer clothes and accessories at up to 80 percent off.  If that wasn’t enough, Rue La La was purchased this week by GSI Commerce. 

These invitation/members-only sites are getting a boost during the recession, and hopefully the same goes for their bottom-line.  Sites like the Gilt Groupe acquire sample pieces from designers and place them online for sale at a fraction of the retail cost. 

There has been a great deal of activity this week with these private event sale sites, and the odds are good that we will see many more in the near future.  Take a look at the video below of Gilt Groupe co-founder, Alexandra Wilkis, as she described the private event sale business back in August. 

Private-Sale Sites Grow in a Struggling Economy [WSJ/Blog]

DailyCandy Joins the World of Online Sample Sales  [Racked]