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Extra Good · Aug 21, 2026

#64: Gucci Quietly Lowered Prices (+ way more)

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Bryce Gruber · Extra Good

There’s SO much to share this week, so forgive me if I end up breezing through a few things. Substack gives me a word/length limit, so, ya know…

If you’re wondering why Gucci would do this to begin with, I covered a few of the reasons in the video, but the main considerations are:

  • The marketplace is incredibly crowded with high-quality leather bags now (what a blessing, eh?)… and some of them are similar or better quality at much lower prices (see newsletter #60 for more on this topic)

  • Consumer demand for $5k bags, whether it’s trend-driven or economy-based, has plummeted

  • People don’t care about logos the way they used to, and the overarching sentiment from luxury buyers is now subtle signals rather than overt look-at-my-double-Gs

  • The vintage items were made better and are still holding up incredibly well. The resale market is plentiful and your mom’s bag from 20 years ago is still in excellent condition.

And if you’re wondering if these reductions are just cleverly marketing sales/clearance items, the answer is no. Sales/clearance imply limited-time offers, whether a week or a quarter.

Gucci just slashed prices for the long term in an effort to draw existing customers back in and lure younger, less logo-driven new faces into stores and their website.

Almost all the vintage options have a “make an offer” option that means the price is somewhat negotiable. Usually 10-20% below ask is enough to make it yours.

Btw, there are lots of other luxe brands quietly re-working pricing structures. More on that below, but you can browse the Vestiaire website I suggested above to filter by brand/country. That’s important if you don’t want to pay import fees. Everything I showed is inside the US, but you can also filter by Canada, etc.

I spoke about mattresses a lot (and more on that soon, will also rank some of the best budget-friendly options under $1k next week, because no, most of the cheapie Amazon/Target ones aren’t great).

Full longform on the best pillows here but this list is just for hypoallergenic options. I’ll work on down separately because they’re really very different categories.

  • Excellent quality fill (no polyfoams, and ideally cooling memory foam or natural latex-based foam). Polyfoam will make you sweat like a beast, is more likely to offgas and traps more heat/odors. Most of the foam pillows under $50 are poly, which is why they’re so cheap, but you’ll throw those stinkers out after a year or so or just wonder why they don’t feel/look/smell so great.

  • The right loft levels! This is your cheat sheet for online AND in-person shopping. Side sleepers need a higher loft to cradle the space between the spine and shoulders, back sleepers need a medium-ish loft and belly sleepers need the lowest. This is the info you need for reduced neck and back pain if you suspect your pillows are messing with your peace.

  • Good return periods and warranties. You want a brand that stands behind the products they make and has customer service you can actually reach. Your sleep is very, very important. Everything I mentioned below has at least 30 days to try/return and at least 1 to 3 years of warranty protection.

  • Certifications! Look for things like OEKO-Tex (no harmful or toxic chemicals in the production process) or GOLS for organic/natural options. If you prefer in-person shopping, I would actually steer clear of Home Goods for well-certified pillows and look at Costco. I do not think the Purple pillow is worth its price, and I can get into that at a later point if you want.

  • And… a removable/cleanable cover and loads of ventilation.

  • Alo is currently having a secret, unpublicized sale through this weekend. Pieces are up to 40% off. The outerwear, like this 40% off trench coat, is where the value is. I’m less excited about leggings, etc.

  • Walmart marked down a bunch of good (popular!) things and almost nobody is talking about it. Free, quick shipping that rivals Amazon. This Garnier bundle is $6.47 (genuinely a good budget option if you’re dealing with major frizz), these clear Madewell dhoupes are $20, and Secret Clinical deos are under $10 + instant extra coupons (final price under $7 each). And these cotton blend women’s sweatpants have the same basic cut as the Aritzia ones for $12.

  • For the 35+ gals, I spoke a bunch about how HRT helped improve my skin/hair/mood/sleep dramatically, and then I showed you here how I personally use my excess estriol cream. I am NOT suggesting this to anyone else, just sharing that it’s been very helpful for me. It’s a rx hormone—it’s serious stuff you need to chat with a doctor about and weigh carefully. But, if for whatever reason you’re having a hard time getting your doc to chat about patches/creams, there are virtual visit options like this one you can get Estradiol creams from (also Tretinoin for $30/month, etc.). I do not personally use this company, as my doctor was quick/easy with me, but I do have friends using this platform with success and happiness. I’ll do an explainer video on that later!

  • Annnnnd several people asked for intel on how to get discounts on RMS Beauty. It’s one of the best clean beauty brands out there (truly, a lot of brands say it—RMS really lives up to the promises they make). Anywho, a few of my faves here and use code “BRYCE20” at checkout for 20% off literally anything/everything on the site. Works through the end of August.

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I keep newsletters open and free for the first month they’re published, but after about 4.5 weeks, they end up in the paid-access-only archives (this prevents bots and copycats from stealing my work, which, yes—has become a bit of an issue.)

You’d be shocked to know some of the other major-name designers are following suit and trying to recreate their early 2000s success benchmarks when items were expensive, but not necessarily INSANE. And yes, I do think $11k for a purse is silly.

Read the original on extragood.substack.com ↗

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