ideeli.com: Savvy Shopping Online
by Stephanie SnyderThursday, May 21, 2009
ideeli.com founder and CEO Paul Hurley tells OTownStyle.com about the inspiration behind ideeli, how it works, and upcoming exclusive designer items--and how you can get your hands on them!
Where did the name 'ideeli' come from?
Firstly, I wanted to create an engaging and social way for a targeted group of female buyers to shop the most exclusive collections, while providing luxury brands a platform to share a more detailed story about their products and brands. We create daily online events that provide our members with the "ideel" shopping experience: privileged access to the most sought-after products and experiences, often at privileged prices.
How have economic conditions affected ideeli? Has it affected how you price the items?
We've done very well. We've doubled our business in the last 90 days. We haven't seen any changes in purchasing patterns and our members continue to buy. Despite consumers being cautious about spending, we continue to serve up great values to get our members excited about shopping on ideeli. ideeli items are consistently priced--generally 50% to 90% off retail.
We think we have a powerful model to create strong value for our members and our brand partners. Quality, service and price do not suffice to create loyalty today. We're focused on creating a true community with our members to drive trust, authenticity and engagement.
Explain the concept of ideeli.
ideeli officially launched in June of 2007 to answer a need we perceived in the online shopping arena for exclusivity, community and luxury goods. We are the first invitation-only, online shopping community to provide members with an exclusive shopping experience.
ideeli offers much more than sample sale merchandise - we wanted to provide a "Social Shopping" community privileged access to insider-only products and experiences: We offer new hot products not yet available in stores (product introductions), "finds" from abroad (products distributed in other countries but not in the US) and fabulous giveaways.
- ideeli was founded in 2006 and held the first event on the 1st of June, 2007 - a Dolce & Gabbana giveaway.
- Our main membership (what we call 2nd Row Membership) is free and is by invitation only (you need an invite code to join). But we also have 1st Row Membership (available for $83.88 a year) which provides enhanced access to ideeli sales: 1st Row members can shop an hour earlier than 2nd Row members and enter giveaways via mobile phone.
- Presence of various memberships as well as giveaways have the same objectives: create several degrees of engagement with our audience. The way we turn shopping into a game allows us to create true loyalty with our audience. New members tell us that they sign up not only because of the potential for great deals, but because they want to get in on the fun.
For those who don't know, how does ideeli work?
ideeli is an invitation-only shopping community where you need an invitation code to join. Each event is designed by ideeli editors to offer an exclusive shopping opportunity in a fun, social way. All events have secret starts, and limited durations and quantities. Previews, at least 10 days prior to each event, create time for discovering more about the featured product and discussing it online. Members love ideeli not only for the amazing shopping, but for how it keeps them up with the latest styles and provides a forum for interacting with top brands and socializing with other privileged shoppers.
Are all of your items equally popular, or do you find that some go quicker than others?
We've seen a range of products, brands and price points perform well which is a testament to the merchandise ideeli offers. Handbags, shoes, sunglasses, clutches and costume jewelry have all been standouts. We've seen amazing velocity of sales on brands such as Celine, D&G and Christian Lacroix.
Where do you get all of these designer items?
We buy direct from the brands themselves.
What has made ideeli so successful? What makes it different from other sites like it?
- We go beyond fashion and touch many lifestyle categories: Not only can women find the best of fashion and accessories on ideeli, but also fragrances, skincare, and experiences like pre-sale concert tickets, fashion show tickets and travel deals.
- ideeli offers fabulous giveaways: Members can win amazing products and experiences.
- ideeli is a community where our affluent and aspirational women members can socialize with other privileged shoppers. This allows us to create a forum to evangelize brands.
- ideeli was the first invitation-only shopping website to launch in the U.S. and has the most experience in its arena.
Offer Invite Code to Join ideeli:
We are pleased to provide you an invitation code for your readers to join: "otown". Just go to ideeli.com or the OTownStyle.com ideeli invitation page
