LuxeYard Press

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KTLA 5

Summer Looks with Daniella Clarke

6.20.2012

Daniella Clarke, founder of Frankie B. Jeans, was here to show us hot summer looks all available on LuxeYard.com.

Bloomberg

The Problem With Henry May Derail U.S. Recovery

6.20.2012

Home Accents Today

LuxeYard raises question of e-commerce, brick-and-mortar crossroads

6.15.2012

Good Day LA

Style File: LuxeYard

5.17.2012

LOS ANGELES - In today's Style File ...LuxeYard is the hot new flash sale site for all things luxury in fashion and home decor at up to 70% off retail!

Here with all the latest styles for men & women ...Daniella Clarke, founder of Frankie B Jeans and consultant for LuxeYard.

Radar Online

Rock 'N' Roll Designer Daniella Clarke Dishes on Her New Shopping Website

3.28.2012

Fashionistas rejoice – there is a new and totally luxe shopping website in town to get totally addicted to!

LuxeYard Style launched on Tuesday, offering a new, exciting and eccentric approach to the online shopping experience.

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RadarOnline.com spoke exclusively to the website’s style consultant Daniella Clarke, a rock wife and fashion designer who has influenced countless trends, to give us the inside scoop on the new, go-to website for the style-savvy.

The wife of Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, Daniella ran away from her home at the age of 16 to tour the world with the successful rock band, which has influenced her style sense to the fullest. 

“Rock ‘n’ roll is about the freedom to do what you want, and that has always influenced my style,” she explains.

Clarke, who started the low-slung denim trend back in 1999 when she launched the uber-successful line Frankie B. and later became the creative director of Dittos, joined the LuxeYard team when they decided to expand their home-shopping website into fashion.

“I wanted to make it feel like a boutique experience,” she explains about the curated, hand-picked selection of unique designer and vintage clothing selection featured on the site.

Another cool feature on LuxeYard Style?  Inspired by Pinterest, shoppers can upload photos of products that they covet, and the buyers will go out and try to find similar items to sell on the site, making it a truly interactive shopping experience. 

Current brands featured on the site include Petro Zillia, Amrita Singh, Maggie Ward and vintage boutique to the stars, Revival.

Hollywood Life

This Week’s Hottest Pics March 25 — April 1 

4.1.2012

LuxeYard Trendsetter Giuliana Rancic Attends the Launch of LuxeYard Style at the Redbury Hotel in Hollywood

Genlux Magazine

LuxeYard Introduces Concierge Buying

4.10.2012

Gone are the days of scouring sites for the best price on the items you want.

LuxeYard.com is a members only website (membership is free) that offers items that members want, at a price they can afford! Curated by industry veterans, stylists and designers, flash sales happen daily on coveted items such as vintage Hermes, Lanvin, plus many more.   

How does it work you ask? Simple. Through the concept of “Concierge Buying,” members post photos of items they would like to purchase at a discounted price. LuxeYard then works their magic by sourcing the items (or ones that are similar) and offering it to consumers at the discounted price.

Offering designer brands in fashion, as well as name-brand home furnishing and decor, members can save up to 70% off - all through the power of social media and crowd sourcing. The most popular items suggested by members will become featured items for the Member's Only events. 

Not your usual yard sale - right!

Daily News Los Angeles

Get bargains for your home online

4.6.2012

Looking for a sweet deal on stylish furnishings, art or objects for the home?

You'll find it online.

The Web has seen an explosion of flash sales sites in recent years with names such as One Kings Lane, Joss & Main andFab.com - invitation-only stores that are free to join and offer deep, limited savings of up to 70 percent off retail (in most cases) on home items.

In addition to affordable design, these e-commerce sites boast features designed to engage shoppers on a daily basis. Think special sales events curated by top designers, Oscar winners and influential editors; design inspiration and social media-generated wish lists that help buyers decide what to feature next.

"In my mind, traditional retailers are in a lot of trouble," says Steve Beauregard, chief operating officer of Marina del Rey-based Luxeyard, which launched in late January as an online destination for luxury West Coast style. "They're going to have to reinvent how they do business because they're going to be destroyed by businesses like us."

Anyone who's ever perused flash sales knows how much fun they can be to shop, and they just keep getting better.

"Consumers love the flash sale model because it offers tremendous value, and there is a certain sense of serendipity of shopping a flash sale site," says Susan Feldman, co-founder and chief merchandising officer of One Kings Lane. "In many ways the One Kings Lane experience is as much about entertainment as it is about shopping."

One Kings Lane launched in 2009, evolving from a pure flash sales model when it launched the Tastemaker Tag Sales series, in which it collaborates with well-known designers and influencers to bring curated sales of one-of-a-kind and vintage items to the site. Last week it launched Vintage & Market Finds, an online marketplace featuring premium antique and vintage furniture and decor to meet the demand from its members for more vintage items.

As Feldman puts it, "We've already evolved well beyond flash sales with the variety of merchandise we offer - along with the content we integrate into the experience."

Luxeyard's features include a room planner, discounted offerings from a revolving door of pop-up luxury boutiques and curated selections by trendsetters such as "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Kyle Richards Umansky, fashion designer Daniella Clarke and blogger Jessica Gottlieb.

It also boasts a social media-driven Concierge buying program that works like this: See something you like? Snap a picture of it on your mobile device and upload that image to www.luxeyard.com. Items that generate the most discussion have the potential of ending up on the flash sale environment to be sold at a discount.

"Once we find the products that people are interested in we'll start them at a regular flash sale price, which is very aggressive," Beauregard says, referring to the site's Group Buy program that allows shoppers to make purchases at below wholesale prices.

Buyers are encouraged to share the Group Buy with friends via social media for even more savings.

"As more people buy, we'll reduce the price down to a certain threshold," Beauregard adds. "Everybody gets the final price."

Also new is Keep America, a virtual mall of everything and anything made in the U.S.

New York businessman David Seliktar says he founded the e-commerce site as a response to the lack of American-made goods as well as his concern over the number of flawed and tainted products from overseas.

"When they're outsourced, things slip through the cracks and you end up with cribs collapsing on babies," says Seliktar, who has three daughters, ages 3 and younger, and runs his family's jewelry-making business. "Couple that with American jobs being outsourced on a daily basis, and I really believe the only way to turn this around is to buy American-made products and reinvest in the country."

Tech Crunch

Home Furnishings and Design Site LuxeYard Adds Concierge Buying To Flash Sales Model

1.23.2012

LuxeYard, a luxury home furnishings and decor site, is launching its e-commerce platform today, but adding a twist to the flash sales model.

Similar to sites line One Kings Lane and Gilt, LuxeYard offers up to 70 percent discounts on furniture, home decor and other accessories in daily sales. However, LuxeYard also offers what it calls ‘concierge buying,’ which allows members to request items they would like to purchase at a discounted price by posting photos to LuxeYard’s Facebook page. The most popular product will be voted up by members, and the startup’s experts will attempt to source either the exact product, or a similar product and offer this on sale to members.

LuxeYard members also have the ability to push product prices down for certain items by using Facebook and Twitter to encourage others to purchase a product, which will drive the price down. For example, members may purchase an item for $100; share the information on Facebook encouraging others to buy the same product; and two days later find out that customer demand, which they helped drive, dropped the price to $50. Everyone who purchased the Group Buy Item will pay the final lowest price.

The site also includes a set of featured design professionals and influencers provide design curation and offers aesthetic insights, product recommendations and special events exclusively for LuxeYard members. Consumers can also enter room dimensions and/or upload a photo of the room in which they’d place the piece to get a sense for how it fits with the current décor and layout before they buy.

LuxeYard has raised $3.5 million in funding from a group of undisclosed investors.

Venture Beat

Choose your own sale with LuxeYard, launching today

1.23.2012

Flash sale and daily deals sites have gained a lot of popularity in the last year with Groupon, Gilt, and Fab.com bringing consumers discounted products and services. LuxeYard, a new flash sale site focused on luxury home furnishings and decor, delivers a fresh feature to the daily deal market: it lets its customers request which items they want offered at a discount. The site launched Monday evening with $3.5 million in funding from private investors.

The company has two notable features not seen on other flash sale sites: Concierge Buying and Group Buy. Concierge Buying lets customers request items they’d like to buy at a discounted price. Any product can be submitted and voted on by the LuxeYard community and the most popular products will be offered for sale. LuxeYard works with the manufacturer to make the product available to its customers. If LuxeYard can’t offer the exact item, it will find a substitute of equal or higher quality.

LuxeYard’s Group Buy feature lowers the price of an item as more people purchase it. By broadcasting the discount on social platforms such as Facebook, customers can drive up the demand for the deal and lower the purchase price. Once the deal is over, everyone who purchased the product pays the lowest final price.

“We are using this round of funding for a number of important aspects of our startup. Because we are a new kind of flash sale site that fills two significant holes in our industry – community and personalization – we are focusing our dollars on parts of our site that are giving our members a unique experience,” said LuxeYard CEO Braden Richter in a statement to VentureBeat, “To make this happen, we are also spending on a number of other parts of our business, including software development, focus on getting member bases up, accounting and hiring new members for our team, as we expect to grow in the same vein as flash sale sites have been.”

One King’s Lane operates in the same space as LuxeYard, offering home furnishings at similar discounts. LuxeYard is relying on its Concierge Buying and Group Buy features to set itself apart from One King’s Lane and its other competition.

LuxeYard offers discounts up to 70 percent off on luxury home decor and furnishing items — think high-end lamps, rugs, dishes, and furniture. Every item is shipped directly from the manufacturer — LuxeYard doesn’t keep any inventory, which keeps its operating costs low. Like most deal sites, you must become a member to see each deal and make purchases, but membership is free.

LuxeYard was founded in 2011 and is based in Marina Del Ray, California. It currently has a team of 30 employees.

Forbes

LuxeYard’s Fresh Features Aim to Shake Up the Flash Sales Space

1.24.2012

In a flash sale market that’s quickly getting saturated with me-too startups, LuxeYard, a just-launched a luxury home furnishings and decor site, aims to makeover the business model by introducing a couple of new concepts. With $3.5 million in funding from private investors, LuxeYard is trotting out Concierge Buying and Group Buy. Braden Richter, LuxeYard’s CEO, says there’s plenty of room for new ideas in the space, especially if there’s a shift that takes the pricing and sourcing power from retailers and puts it in the hands of consumers.

Richter told me:

“Flash sale sites are still very new and a large number of players have entered the space just this year – many of which are flourishing. We believe we’re entering a ripe market at the right time and really the space is still in its infancy. Flash sale sites have really changed the mindset of the consumer. Why should they pay retail if they don’t have to? We’ve essentially taken the best aspects of various flash sale sites and combined them to create LuxeYard. We also have a different demographic than a One Kings Lane. Our audience is more focused on females and gay men, and we target the 35-44 age range more heavily than One Kings Lane. It’s this age group that is increasingly looking to get their first home or make a move to a larger home, and they are often more family-oriented.”

Much like Fab.com, the six month-old flash sale site that’s attracting funding ($40 million) and members at an exponential clip, LuxeYard wants to focus on putting the social back into the shopping experience. Here’s how it will work:

Concierge Buying: Members can request items they would like to purchase at a discounted price by posting photos to one of LuxeYard’s social media platforms. The most popular product will be voted up and LuxeYard’s experts will source either the exact product or one of comparable or higher quality. Then it will be offered at a fraction of the retail price. All approved products should be available for sale within a month.

Group Buy: LuxeYard members have the ability to push product prices down for featured Group Buy items. Members hit up their social networks to encourage others to purchase the product, which then drives the price down. Even if the original purchase was made at a higher retail price, everyone who purchased the Group Buy Item will pay the final lowest price.

LuxeYard is also launching Room Planner for shoppers to upload photos or room specs to virtually “see” how an item will sit in the spot of their choice at home. LuxePop will grant members access to coveted merchandise at boutique stores from SoHo to Rodeo Drive.

All these features could give LuxeYard a grand slam win or be the makings of a crowdsourcing headache. Richter says LuxeYard’s built in ways to avoid a potential disaster for manufacturers and consumers.

“Group Buy is solely done through LuxeYard, and doesn’t impact the deal we make with the manufacturer. That is all done before the goods go on sale. Our Group Buy is not the same model as Groupon. It’s a good analogy, but we are applying the group buy concept to a tangible good –not just a 50% off coupon. Also, our price isn’t set. We have four stages at which the price will go down.

The concept is truly the more people want it, the cheaper it gets. Our members can leverage their social networks to entice others to buy the same product. What medium can you buy something for $100, and then learn two days later that you end up paying only $50? For some sales, the price may tip twice– with others it may drop the full four times.”

Likewise, LuxeYard’s plan to determine the number of people who influence the price reductions is simple, Richter says.

“As we source products, our buyers are earmarking those for Group Buy, and others for the regular sale (at an average 70% off retail). We will determine price reductions based on our cost and the price of the piece. Some prices may drop at increments of $20, while others may drop at increments of $50. That is all determined by our buyers.

On LuxeYard consumers can post photos of items they would like to purchase at a discounted price and the rest of the community may weigh in on the submissions. Once we get interest from a group of members, LuxeYard will then attempt to source the popular items and offer it to consumers at the discounted price. We may not be able to source a particular item, so we have let them know that it will be that product or one similar.”

As with many new startups, LuxeYard’s concepts are cool. Whether they attract a critical mass of consumers remains to be seen.

Portfolio.com

LuxeYard Launches Entering Popular Flash Sales Space in Home Decor

1.24.2012

From Fab.com to One Kings Lane to Gilt Home, the home-furnishings and decor space is not hurting for flash-sales players. But a new one called LuxeYard hopes to set itself apart by adding a few social-style perks to its deals in 13 categories including rugs, dining, furniture, accessories, and tableware.

“Imagine that somebody walks into a Restoration Hardware or a Pier One and says ‘I love this lamp that I found online,’” explains LuxeYard chief operating officer Steve Beauregard. “Retail can’t handle a request like that. We can.”

The site, which comes out of beta and launches today with the backing of $3.5 million from angel investors, is planning to allow its members to post links to images of items that they would like to see offered as a deal. The most popular product will be voted up via a crowdsourced approach, and LuxeYard experts will then source either the exact product or one known to be comparable or even higher quality and offer it on the site at a fraction of the retail price.

“Instead of curating the sites and showing members what we like, we want to see what they’re looking for,” Beauregard says.

Based in Marina Del Ray, California, LuxeYard also has an offering that is similar to what the jewelry site Plukka is doing for fine jewelry. Through its “Group Buy” program, LuxeYard members will be able to push product prices down by using social networks to encourage others to buy the product. For example, a piece that starts at $100 might, two days later, be pushed down to $50, a price that everyone who bought will be charged.

The company, rather than the manufacturer, will take the hit on its profit margins if the price sinks. The idea is that it’s worth it to offer customers what they want. Beauregard says that there will be one Group Price offering at all times on the site, and that the company will likely start off by offering staples such as wine glasses or items that many people will be interested in.

The site was founded by Braden Richter, president and chief executive officer, who is also a partner and acting merchandising director at Los Angeles-based retail company Jaxon International, with 20 years of experience in home decor. The Beverly Hills native is heavily influenced by European design, having lived in Venice. Including subcontractors, LuxeYard has about 30 to 35 employees.

Richter’s expertise in various areas of home goods will give the site an edge over the offerings of Fab.com and One Kings Lane, which are often “putting the same kind of products out there,” Beauregard says. “They take a shotgun approach, and they’re not experts in their individual areas.”

The retail prices range from as low as $15 to as much as $7,000 or $8,000, but the average ticket price will be $400 to $500. Sales start at 8 a.m. Pacific time, in general. Shipping will depend on the order, with upholstery and chairs taking as much as 10 days and smaller items shipped within two or three days.

Los Angeles Times

Start-up Spotlight: LuxeYard brings social aspect to flash sales

1.25.2012

LuxeYard, a luxury home furnishings and decor flash sale site, officially launched on Tuesday with the aim of making e-commerce more social.

The Marina del Rey start-up (which will soon move to Culver City) is the latest newcomer to the rapidly growing flash sale marketplace, which includes One Kings Lane, Fab.com, Gilt and Rue La La. The site offers two new approaches to the usual for-members-only, limited-time sales: concierge buying and group buying.

With concierge buying, LuxeYard members can request items they'd like to purchase at a discounted price. The most popular product will be voted up and LuxeYard will then source either the exact product "or one known to be comparable or even higher quality," the company said.

Group Buy allows members to push prices down on certain items by using social media and networks to encourage others to purchase that product. The price is driven down if the product receives enough buzz. Everyone who purchases the Group Buy item will pay the final lowest price.

Chief Executive Braden Richter said the company was evolving the concept of flash sales by putting the sourcing and pricing of goods in the hands of consumers.

Flash sales were "originally designed to liquidate inventory; it was sort of born out of 2009," he said at a launch party Tuesday night at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. "I think a lot of the current flash sale companies are now trying to figure out what to do. We've come into it at a perfect time to create this next generation."

Like other flash sale sites, LuxeYard features a community of design professionals and stylists, dubbed trendsetters, who offer product recommendations and other advice. Trendsetters include Nicky Hilton; Daniella Clarke, founder of Frankie B Jeans; and designer Faye Resnick.

The site is free to join and launched with $3.5 million in financing from private investors; about 185,000 people had already signed up during the site's pre-launch beta phase. On Tuesday, LuxeYard averaged about five new members a minute, Richter said.

The company has about 30 employees and offers luxury home furnishings -- including furniture, textiles, cookware and lamps -- at 70% off retail. LuxeYard doesn't hold inventory or operate warehouses; instead, manufacturers ship products directly to consumers.

SoCal Tech

Interview with Braden Richter, LuxeYard

1.25.2012

How do you leverage your years of experience manufacturing and designing furniture for stores like Ikea and Crate & Barrel into the online world, and harness the interest of consumers to purchase their furniture online? That's what Braden Richter, the CEO of Los Angeles-based LuxeYard (www.luxeyard.com) is looking to do with the new startup, which combines the world of home furnishings with the concept of flash sales.

How did you end up at LuxeYard?
Braden Richter: I've been on the manufacturing side of the business for twenty years. I started a couple of different manufacturing companies in the home furnishings industry, primarily a manufacturer of products for stores like Ikea, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, and Restoration Hardware. As a designer of those products, I've seen in home furnishings over the last twenty years lots of cycles. What has evolved over the past year or so, is I've been seeing that the e-commerce business is very strong. I had taken note of that, saw that sales were spiking, and then almost by pure serendipity was approached by a former customer of mine, Amir Mireskandari, who is the founder of LuxeYard, who asked me if I'd be interested in running it. It seemed like kind of a crazy notion, having been so heavily involved in manufacturing, and owning one of the largest furniture manufacturers on the West Coast, to jump careers on such short notice. But, I was intrigued by the flash sales world and the opportunity, and really felt like it was time to try something new. I resigned as CEO of my manufacturing company, and about four months ago we put the plan together to create LuxeYard.

For those who haven't heard of your company, what is LuxeYard all about?
Braden Richter: LuxeYard is a flash sales site. Looking at it initially from a manufacturer's point of view, it's an incredible win-win for everybody. Our focus is on maximizing the expectations and providing a quality product. We have great relationships with all of the vendors in the home furnishings world, and want to absolutely bring great value and great products which are not typically on other e-commerce sites, and are definitely not on flash sales sites. LuxeYard also includes the concierge buying concept. Because of our understanding of the home furnishing industry, we have a feature I don't think anyone else has, which is users can post pictures of the product you'd be interested in, and our buying team will be able to source those products for the individuals. Say, you're walking down Rodeo Drive, and you see a sofa in the window for $12,000. You can take a picture, upload it to LuxeYard, and we can assist in finding that product, or something very like that product, for a fraction of that price.

Why would flash sales be so interesting to the furniture industry?
Braden Richter: Furniture is fairly similar to the fashion business, to an extent. It's all about trends, like apparel, although it's does not evolve quite as fast. We've all noticed over the last decade or so things like the Home and Garden Network, the popularity of designers, which has really brought furniture to the forefront of design. But, there has been a legacy in the home furnishing market, which is the very slow speed that it takes for products to make it to market. We're going to change that. That's the nature of a flash site, which is to get you the latest and greatest, very quickly.

How have manufactures received the idea?
Braden Richter: They love it. I was actually one of the first manufacturers on the flash sales sites. When I was first approached, the idea was to clean out my warehouse all of that product just sitting there. I agreed to that, hosted a sale and participated in an event, and quickly had my warehouse cleaned out. I was really blown away. I came back again, did another sale, and instead had to make product. A typical furniture store might get a 100 people a day, but with flash sales, you can drive a million people to have a look at the store in a day. As far as manufacturers go, because it's members only, and as far as pricing goes, they are comfortable wit how we are pricing to a great extent. A few might prefer not to discount as heavily, and in that case we might not do events with them, but over the year, we've seen that more and more manufacturers have become excited about flash sales, and have changed their minds from a year ago.

Switching topics, what's the biggest lesson you've learned so far starting up the business?
Braden Richter: That's a good question. I've started up several businesses over the years, but not in the tech industry. Probably the thing I've learned most, is the complexity of the marketing involved in the digital world. It's certainly not like traditional marketing for manufacturing. I'm learning lessons every day, but lucky I've got people helping me with this, with a full team. We've put seventeen people into an office, and the cohesion of the experience from different industries has been an incredible process.

Finally, noting that you just launched this week, what is next on your radar?
Braden Richter: Obviously, the launch was our first hurdle. If you have a look at the site, there are lots of amazing features that will be coming into play as we launch. There are things like our concierge buying, room planner, and other little things anyone interested in the home would want to play around with. After that, we're going to continue expanding on the home, and other categories in the home.
Thanks!

Gigaom

LuxeYard puts a social spin on high-end flash sales

1.23.2012

LuxeYard, a members-only e-commerce website that sells discounted high-end furniture and home decor products, is launching Tuesday to users in the United States and Canada. Yes, it’s technically another flash sales site. But what’s interesting about LuxeYard is that it’s doing things a bit differently from the established players in the space such as One Kings Lane and Gilt Groupe.

Crowdsourcing the inventory selection:
Firstly, rather than populating its site with objects selected by a group of buyers operating autonomously based on their own taste, LuxeYard is taking cues from its users on what items to sell. LuxeYard members can post photos of the type of items they’d like to buy on social media platforms, and other members can vote up on products they would also like to buy. Essentially, the items for sale on site will be crowdsourced according to users’ wants.

“We’re really establishing a pattern of listening,” LuxeYard COO Steve Beauregard said in a phone interview Monday. “We’re really trying to build a conversation around certain pieces, and that will help focus our buyers and attune them to our users’ tastes, rather than just buying something they think is interesting.”

Taking group buying one step further:
Secondly, LuxeYard is employing truly flexible group buying. This is where members use their social networks to encourage their friends to buy the same product on LuxeYard they’re buying, thereby driving down the price of that item. For example: I could buy a chair on LuxeYard for $150, and then post about that chair on Facebook. If a certain number of other people end up buying the same chair, the final cost for everyone buying the chair could be driven down to $100.

A unique financial starting point:
And another unique thing about LuxeYard is that it’s hitting the ground running from a financial perspective. The company has raised $3.5 million from private investors, but has technically already gone public by conducting a reverse merger into a publicly-held shell company. Details are still being ironed out, so there is no public float to LuxeYard’s stock, but it will begin trading under the ticker symbol “LXRD” at some point in the coming months. Access to public market investors will potentially give LuxeYard the monetary wherewithal to compete head-to-head in the flash sales and group buying space already filled with solid players such as Wayfair, One Kings Lane and others, not to mention more general e-commerce sites such as Amazon.

But how long can exclusivity last?
 Now, LuxeYard also claims it will be more choosy about the items it selects to sell on the site. According to Beauregard, if a company’s products are already being sold on existing e-commerce sites or major chain stores, LuxeYard will not sell any of its products. That’s an honorable goal, but true exclusivity is not always an easy thing to maintain when you’re also balancing the demand from investors for constant growth. And being that LuxeYard is starting out as a public company with notoriously demanding Wall Street-style investors, that could be an even harder balance to strike. But overall, LuxeYard’s offering seems unique enough that the company has a good shot at success — even in the hyper competitive world of e-commerce.

BizReport

How coupon, deal sites make shopping simpler for buyers, sellers

1.24.2012

Nearly a month into 2012 do you have a plan in place to attract shoppers time and again? Incorporating deals, coupons and flash sales may help, and two new offerings in the space are geared to smaller sellers.

by Kristina Knight

There is a new flash site on the web that may help small etailers and businesses get a bigger presence on the Web. Called LuxeYard, the flash sale site focuses not just on big-name brands but on interesting, new or high-quality products. They're working with local businesses to put products online and are working with designers like Bobby Berk on product recommendations.

In addition to the flash sale portion of the company they're launching LuxePop which is similar to an online pop-up retail store. The site also integrates with social media so that shoppers can push the prices down by group buying. Other offerings include:

• Concierge Buying - giving the consumer the ability to 'recommend' items to put on the site • Shipping from manufacturer to consumer to lower shipping/handling costs
• Expert advice on trends, products and information 

Meanwhile CouponCodes.com has revamped some of their offerings with female shoppers in mind. The site has created pages to help shoppers more easily find deals, coupons and offers from brands. Through the new pages format shoppers can shop for deals and codes according to what they want - DIY Interior Designer, Fashionista, Small Business Owner, etc.

Just how big is the coupon/deal space becoming? Over the Thanksgiving Weekend (US, 2011) CouponCodes estimated shoppers using their site could save $17.50 (average) on each purchase made during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday extravaganza.

The issue? Only about 11% of shoppers (Ipsos Public Affairs survey) look online for coupons or deal codes before heading out to shop - or even to shop online. With the new system in place CouponCodes hopes shoppers will come back because they've made finding deals simpler. The new offering should also hold out hope to online retailers because getting shoppers in the cyber doors is also made easier when they have a coupon to use to off-set shipping or get an even better deal.

Internet Retailer

Flash Sale Site LuxeYard Launches

1.24.2012

LuxeYard, a luxury home furnishings and decor flash sale site, announced today its formal company launch. LuxeYard brings a unique approach to the flash sale model, introducing two new e-commerce concepts: Group Buy and Concierge Buying, which creates a retail paradigm, shifting the pricing and sourcing power from retailers to consumers. The company launches with $3.5 million in financing from private investors.

LuxeYard aims to transform the typical retail process by combining access to unique home furnishings and design products with great prices on an interactive, community-driven platform. These new e-commerce concepts will influence both featured products and the final prices while personalizing the shopping experience to each member:

• Group Buy – LuxeYard members have the ability to push product prices down for featured Group Buy items. Members leverage social media and social networks to encourage others to purchase a product, which in turn drives the price down. For example, members may purchase an item for $100; share the information on Facebook encouraging others to buy the same product; and two days later find out that customer demand, which they helped drive, dropped the price to $50. Everyone who purchased the Group Buy Item will pay the final lowest price. 


• Concierge Buying – LuxeYard members can request items they would like to purchase at a discounted price by posting photos to one of LuxeYard’s social media platforms. The most popular product will be voted up, via a crowdsourced approach and LuxeYard experts will then source either the exact product, or one known to be comparable or even higher quality, and offer it on the site at a fraction of the retail price. 

"Our team identified a significant hole in the explosive, flash sale marketplace, realizing the customer experience was not interactive, community-driven or personalized,” said Braden Richter, CEO, LuxeYard. “We empower consumers with our Group Buy and Concierge Buying concepts, shifting the sourcing and pricing of goods to the consumer. LuxeYard is combining the best of a flash sale with a unique e-commerce platform and an engaging interactive community.”

LuxeYard also features the following:

• LuxeLife Trendsetters – This community of design professionals and influencers provide design curation, offering insights, product recommendations and special events exclusively for LuxeYard members. Members will be able to ask the trendsetter community questions and receive guidance when looking for designer home products. Some of the founding LuxeLife Trendsetters include Daniella Clarke, founder of Frankie B Jeans; Faye Resnick, designer to the stars; and Bobby Berk, up-and-coming rockstar of home furnishings and decor. 


• Room Planner – This feature allows consumers to make educated purchase decisions. Consumers can enter room dimensions and/or upload a photo of the room in which they’d place the piece to get a sense for how it fits with the current décor and layout before they buy. 


• LuxePop – Shoppers across the country will have the chance to browse the aisles of the nation’s most coveted boutique stores at exclusive LuxeYard prices. From SOHO to Rodeo Drive, members will be able to shop at LuxePop stores from the comfort of home. 


• LuxeYard offers members the most unique home furnishings and decor at up to 70 percent off retail prices. In order to pass on more savings to consumers, the company is moving away from traditional retail practices by not holding inventory or incurring warehousing costs. Manufacturers will ship products directly to consumers, saving consumers both time and money over retail counterparts. 

About LuxeYard

LuxeYard is the flash sale site for luxury home furnishings and decor that offers access to unique products sourced from an experienced team at prices at up to 70 percent off retail. LuxeYard is the pioneer of two e-commerce concepts, Group Buy and Concierge Buying, which gives consumers the power to drive down prices based on the demand and to determine the items sold on the site. With a management team entrenched in design, LuxeYard partners with trendsetters and industry insiders to deliver interactivity and content on its pages. To become a member, visit www.LuxeYard.com

Examiner

Furniture and Decor Buying the Social Way

5.4.2012

Imagine you come across the perfect end table, or lamp, or arm chair for your home while surfing online. You grab a photo of the item off the site where you discovered it, and you use a tool on your computer to “pin” it to a social networking site for others who appreciate the same sort of designer and luxury goods you love.

Next, you and your like-minded online pals are commenting, “following,” and adding the items to their “likes,” and others are joining the conversation. Next thing you know, your suggested pieces are the center of attention on the site. Soon, you get an invitation to buy the items, or ones very much like it, at an incredible price. Sound like a concierge buying experience of the far-away future? Actually, not; it’s the newest idea in social media, called social sourcing, hosted by LuxeYard.com.

The hot new premier site for online buyers of home furnishings, décor and fashions is on the cutting edge of e-commerce and social networking technology. Not only will users be able to post items of interest to them, but they can influence what items the site will make available for private flash sales based on popularity.

While many new social media sites are still wondering how to monetize, LuxeYard brings together the elements of social networking, pinning and concierge buying all in once gorgeous site. Forget wearing down your heels on Rodeo. Log on and get “luxing” for an private sale that you make happen.

Examiner

Luxury for the abode at up to 70% off at LuxeYard

1.24.2012

A brand new exciting flash sale site has arrived offering luxurious furnishings at amazing buys. LuxeYard sets sail on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 and invites everyone aboard for a wonderful adventure through beautiful furnishings for the abode and much more!

“LuxeYard is the flash sale site for luxury home furnishings and decor that offers access to unique products sourced from an experienced team at prices at up to 70 percent off retail.”

LuxeYard sets itself apart from the other sales sites with its Concierge Buying and Group Buying, giving LuxeYard’s customers the power to decide the items to be sold.

Following is just a sample of the first offerings from LuxeYard’s brand new site:

• Zuo Modern Furniture; “Zuo’s name is synonymous with affordable cool—a one stop shopping experience that’s culminated under one brand name and one great look. In 2011, Zuo created distinctive product lines with Zuo Modern Furniture, Zuo Outdoor, and Zuo Accents to provide a total design space experience for all types of customers.”


• Happy Habitat; “Personal and home accessories inspired by geometric patterns from around the globe.”


• Ecarpet gallery; “ecarpetgallery, a pioneer online retailer of Persian rugs and Oriental carpets, offers a wide range of handmade luxury carpets and rugs at affordable prices. ecarpetgallery’s vibrant handmade rugs and carpets reflect the traditions, history and culture that infuse each masterpiece’s creation. ecarpetgallery's vast collection includes luxury rugs as well as the world’s finest antique carpets from China, India, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Belgium.”


• Fluorescent Palace; “Conceived by co-creators Eric Hajjar and Meridith Rose, Fluorescent Palace is a colorful pop-art series designed to fulfill the need for fresh and contemporary décor in homes, businesses, and various spaces. The collection of custom-created pieces is a combination of film photography and graphic design elements coupled together to create a bright, playfully refreshing take on modern décor.”


• BergHOFF Worldwide; “affordable quality design”- come true thanks to cost reducing production methods and total control of all production stages which are supervised by internal specialists.” 

LuxeYard believes in empowering the customer with a unique interactive, personalized, and community based experience.

• “Group Buy – LuxeYard members have the ability to push product prices down for featured Group Buy items. Members leverage social media and social networks to encourage others to purchase a product, which in turn drives the price down.” Help drive the purchase price down to the bottom line by sharing a group buy find with your friends on Twitter, Facebook, Windows Messenger, and Google Plus.


• “Concierge Buying – LuxeYard members can request items they would like to purchase at a discounted price by posting photos to one of LuxeYard’s social media platforms. The most popular product will be voted up, via a crowd sourced approach and LuxeYard experts will then source either the exact product, or one known to be comparable or even higher quality, and offer it on the site at a fraction of the retail price.” 

Check out LuxeYard’s Room Planner; love an item you see but not sure how it will fit or look in your room? Worry no more with the great interactive room planner tool that LuxeYard offers as a design aid.

• “This feature allows consumers to make educated purchase decisions. Consumers can enter room dimensions and/or upload a photo of the room in which they’d place the piece to get a sense for how it fits with the current décor and layout before they buy.” 

LuxeLife Trendsetters sets itself apart from the other sites; allowing members to ask questions and receive designer assistance when looking for a beautiful furnishing item.

• “This community of design professionals and influencers provide design curation and offers aesthetic insights, product recommendations and special events exclusively for LuxeYard members.” Get advice from the rising stars of the design world. “Some of the founding LuxeLife Trendsetters include Daniella Clarke, founder of Frankie B Jeans; Faye Resnick, designer to the stars; Jonathan Shokrian, founder of MeUndies.com; Nicky Hilton, designer and fashionista; and Bobby Berk, up-and-coming rockstar of home furnishings and decor.” 

LuxePop will showcase beautiful designer stores.

• “Shoppers across the country will have the chance to browse the aisles of the nation’s most coveted boutique stores at exclusive LuxeYard prices. From SOHO to Rodeo Drive, members will be able to shop at LuxePop stores from the comfort of home.” 

LuxeYard offers members the most unique home furnishings and decor at up to 70 percent off retail prices; and do not forget to use the code luxe4examiner to get 15% off of your first order

LuxeYard has manufacturers ship the products directly to the customer. No inventory is held in a warehouse location. Their customers receive orders quickly and efficiently and also allows for the amazing savings on designer furnishings.

Join LuxeYard in their maiden voyage. Take a cool ride through the site and enjoy the beautiful offerings and fantastic deals. Be the first to check out this cool new site and then pass it on to the friends and family. Have fun with your new finds and never be afraid to dance!

Daily Deal Media

Flash Seller LuxeYard Enters into the World of Fashion with the Launch of LuxeStyle

3.30.2012

Recently launched LuxeYard, incorporated (Over The Counter Bulletin Board ticker symbol: LUXR), has officially expanded into the fashion apparel sector with the launch of LuxeStyle, where members can receive discounts as high as 70 percent on both popular and one-of-a-kind items.  

LuxeStyle will be offering a wide assortment of women’s apparel, including shoes, handbags, and accessories. The company will be featuring very well known designer brands that lead today’s fashions as well as gorgeous vintage couture pieces by Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, Lanvin, and Oscar de la Renta.

The party doesn’t stop there. This innovative company will also be featuring incredible deals and the hippest apparel from up-and-coming designers including Velvet, Michael Starr, Mr. Kate, Maggie Ward, Frankie B. Yoyo Yeung, Isabel Lu, Woodley, Sydney Evan jewelry, Petro Zillia, Friendship, Love & Peace (Nicole Murphy jewelry).

This veteran, yet stylish group of industry experts and buyer are promoting a curated approach to the flash selling LuxeStyle. Ladies, this is not your ordinary daily deal site. Members should expect a fashion point of view, very similar to those experienced at brick and mortar boutique stores.

“The addition of LuxeStyle immediately doubles our available merchandise and gives our style-conscious members access to the best of both home décor and fashion,” said Braden Richter, CEO of LuxeYard. “We are also very lucky to launch with the fashion design and merchandising expertise of Daniella Clarke and her seasoned buying team.”

Trendsetting ideas and concierge service

LuxeStyle has upped the fashion website ante by recruiting several fashion trendsetters to share their picks and opinions of the products they love. One look at the list and you know the company means business when it comes to showing their members what’s hot in fashions. The list includes:  Giuliana Rancic (TV Personality for E!), Jamie Chung (Hangover 2), Lindsay Albanese (Style Expert), Bruno Schiavi (President and Founder of Jupi Corporation), Rachel Zalis (TV Host for Today Show and E!), Nony Tochterman (Founder and Designer of Petro Zillia), Constance Zimmer (Actress/House of Cards), Jorge Perez (Fashion Photographer and Producer of Double Exposure on Bravo TV), Courtney Capretta (Fashion Designer for Capretta), Carly Steel (Host on the TV Guide Channel), Debbie Matenopolous (TV Host for The View and Insider),and Allison Melnick (Fashionista and TV Reality Star).

For those members that desire items not featured on the site, no worries, LuxeStyle to the rescue. The company through its unique Concierge Service and reverse buying platform will solve that issue. Members can post photos and share items they would like to own, and the LuxeStyle buying team will source those products, or similar products, offering them on the site at a fraction of the retail price.  

“We are taking a fresh approach to the flash sale model with our curated approach,”explains Daniella Clarke, founder of Frankie B. Jeans and consultant to LuxeStyle. “The combination of our expert buyers, popular Trendsetters and the LuxeStyle community will result in the very best items that reflect our members’ unique and ever-changing palettes.” 

For all the fashion conscientious men out there, do NOT feel left out. LuxeStyle plans to expand to men’s and children’s apparel later this year.

Daily Deal Media

LuxeYard.com: Flash Sales & Group Buy Pricing for Home Furnishings and Decor

1.23.2012

I’ve been saying for a while that I think niche group buying is going to be a big hit in 2012. The dedicated buyers that join sites based on interests are very passionate about doing so.

Today brings us the launch of LuxeYard, a luxury home furnishings and decor flash sale site. LuxeYard claims to bring a unique spin to the flash sale model by applying two e-commerce concepts to its flash sales: Group Buy and Concierge buying, which, they say, will “create a retail paradigm” shifting the pricing and sourcing power from retailers to consumers.

LuxeYard aims to transform the typical retail process by combining access to unique home furnishings and design products with great prices on an interactive, community-driven platform. These new e-commerce concepts will influence both featured products and the final prices while personalizing the shopping experience to each member.

Here’s how they apply the concepts to flash sales:

• Group Buy – LuxeYard members have the ability to push product prices down for featured Group Buy items. Members leverage social media and social networks to encourage others to purchase a product, which in turn drives the price down. For example, members may purchase an item for $100; share the information on Facebook encouraging others to buy the same product; and two days later find out that customer demand, which they helped drive, dropped the price to $50. Everyone who purchased the Group Buy Item will pay the final lowest price.


• Concierge Buying – LuxeYard members can request items they would like to purchase at a discounted price by posting photos to one of LuxeYard’s social media platforms. The most popular product will be voted up, via a crowd-sourced approach and LuxeYard experts will then source either the exact product, or one known to be comparable or even higher quality, and offer it on the site at a fraction of the retail price. 

Braden Richter is the CEO of LuxeYard and is excited about the launch and how his site can fill the gap between other flash sale sites and traditional group buying:

“Our team identified a significant hole in the explosive, flash sale marketplace, realizing the customer experience was not interactive, community-driven or personalized,” he said. “We empower consumers with our Group Buy and Concierge Buying concepts, shifting the sourcing and pricing of goods to the consumer. LuxeYard is combining the best of a flash sale with a unique e-commerce platform and an engaging interactive community.”

Going further into the passion of the niche shopper, LuxeYard attempts to connect and enhance the user experience when it comes to home décor and furnishings, by providing the following features:

• LuxeLife Trendsetters – This community of design professionals and influencers provide design curation, offering insights, product recommendations and special events exclusively for LuxeYard members. Members will be able to ask the trendsetter community questions and receive guidance when looking for designer home products.


• Room Planner – This feature allows consumers to make educated purchase decisions. Consumers can enter room dimensions and/or upload a photo of the room in which they’d place the piece to get a sense for how it fits with the current décor and layout before they buy.


• LuxePop – Shoppers across the country will have the chance to browse the aisles of the nation’s most coveted boutique stores at exclusive LuxeYard prices. Like most other flash sale sites, LuxeYard saves money by not keeping inventory on-site, but by having manufacturers ship items directly to the customers, saving money and time as opposed to traditional retailers. 

LuxeYard is funded by $2.5 million in financing from private investors. You have to be a member to get the deals, so check them out at http://www.luxeyard.com

Racked

LuxeYard.com Officially Launches With More Features

1.24.2012

Luxury Home Furnishings & Design Site, Luxeyard which we brought to your attention last week has finally unveiled a new website featuring new e-commerce concepts. These concepts are similar to ideas other flash retailers are employing but thus far none have used all these ideas all in one site.

The first is Concierge Buying – you can request items they would like to purchase at a discounted price by posting photos to one of LuxeYard’s social media platforms. The most popular product will be voted up, via a crowdsourced approach, and the item will soon be available.

The second is Group Buy – which uses similar leverage in social media and social networks to encourage others to purchase a product, which in turn drives the price down.

The third is a community blog featuring LuxeLife Trendsetters – This community of design professionals and influencers provides design curation and offers aesthetic insights, product recommendations and special events. Trendsetters include Nicky Hilton, Designer and Fashionista; Daniella Clarke, founder of Frankie B Jeans; Faye Resnick, designer to the stars; Bobby Berk, and Amanda Rosbrook.

The last feature is the Room Planner – This feature allows consumers to make educated purchase decisions. Consumers can enter room dimensions and/or upload a photo of the room in which they’d place the piece to get a sense for how it fits with the current décor and layout before they buy.

Furniture Today

Luxury home furnishings flash sales website LuxeYard launches

1.24.2012

LuxeYard, a luxury home furnishings and décor flash sale website, announced its formal company launch on Tuesday, made possible by $3.5 million in financing from private investors.

According to the company, LuxeYard updates the flash sale model by introducing two new e-commerce processes: Concierge Buying and Group Buy. The flash sales website at www.luxeyard.com claims that these concepts shift the pricing and sourcing power from retailers to consumers, by allowing consumers to influence featured products and final prices. With Concierge Buying, LuxeYard members can request items they would like to purchase at discounted price by posting photos to one of LuxeYard's social media platforms, which includes Facebook and Twitter. LuxeYard will then source the most popular product as determined by user votes, or a comparable or higher quality product, and offer it on the website at what it says is a fraction of a comparable retail price.

Group Buy allows LuxeYard members to leverage social media to encourage other users to purchase a featured product, which drives product prices down for featured Group Buy items. Everyone who purchased the Group Buy Item will pay the final lowest price. For example, a member may purchase an item for $100, share the information on Facebook encouraging others to buy the same product, and two days later find out that customer demand pushed the price down to $50. That would result in the original purchasing member only paying the end price of $50.

"Our team identified a significant hole in the explosive flash sale marketplace, realizing the customer experience was not interactive, community-driven or personalized," said Braden Richter, CEO of LuxeYard. "We empower consumers with our Concierge Buying concept, shifting the sourcing of goods to the consumer. LuxeYard is combining the best of a flash sale with a unique e-commerce platform and an engaging interactive community."

LuxeYard also features these tools:

• LuxeLife Trendsetters - A community of design professionals provides design curation and offers aesthetic insights, product recommendations and special events exclusively for LuxeYard members. Members may ask the community questions and receive product recommendations. Some of the founding LuxeLife Trendsetters include Nicky Hilton, Daniella Clarke, Faye Resnick, Bobby Berk, Amanda Rosbrook and Forbes Riley.


• Room Planner - Allows consumers to enter room dimensions and/or upload a photo of the room in which they'd place a product they're considering, to get a sense for how the item fits with the current décor and layout before purchasing.


• LuxePop - Allows members to shop at LuxePop stores from their own homes. LuxeYard says it offers members home furnishings and décor at up to 70% off standard retail prices. According to a press release from the company, LuxeYard does not hold inventory; manufacturers ship products directly to consumers.