Former Yahoo Executives Make Buying Authentic Luxury Watches and Jewelry Easier and Safer For Consumers - Enter ViaLuxe

NEW YORK, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- More that 50% of US luxury consumers start their "research and/or purchase process" using the internet. Even still when luxury consumers begin their searches at major portals usually more than 70% of the search results are non-authorized, counterfeit or gray market sellers. The official launch of ViaLuxe (www.vialuxe.com) in early December is set to transform the luxury jewelry and watch industry and make online luxury shopping safer just in time for the Holidays. ViaLuxe is the first and only online luxury website dedicated to helping consumers find, research, and purchase the finest in authorized watch and jewelry brands.

Timing is Everything

Launching during a pivotal time when high net worth consumers are already familiar with purchasing luxury products like cars and vacations online, there are currently no safe online sites for consumers who want to purchase fine jewelry or high-end timepieces. The vision of two former Yahoo startup execs, ViaLuxe is the only website of its kind to provide an "authorized" environment for high net worth consumers shopping for 100% authentic luxury items. In a rather startling statistic from Ebay's Annual Earnings Report, they sold $7.2 billion in the watch and jewelry category in 2006 -- making them the largest seller of luxury in the world. A somewhat scary fact given that the level of safeguards when it comes to product authenticity and delivery assurances is highly risky.

Founder's Philosophy

The founders of ViaLuxe, Lawrence Kosick and Ned Taylor, known by some as the "Yahoo" guys, possess the unique blend of retail, luxury and internet expertise. The idea for ViaLuxe came from their early years at Yahoo and countless discussions with luxury brands and customers which highlighted a huge void in the $140 billion a year watch and jewelry industry. With more than 50% of consumers using the internet to find, research and buy luxury watches and jewelry, one could not ignore the ever-increasing popularity of online shopping -- especially for luxury products. Both Kosick and Taylor quickly realized that the most popular online hubs like Google, Yahoo, eBay and Amazon, were directing consumers to grey, counterfeit or unauthorized sellers. This did not provide consumers with the safe and luxurious shopping experience they wanted, and it jeopardized the reputation of luxury brands. Equally as frustrated, the brands had no way to adequately market their products online, collect data, sell or interact with their customers in an elegant and safe environment. ViaLuxe addresses this counterfeit and grey- market problem by providing the most comprehensive information for the finest watch and jewelry brands online in one safe place.

Features at Your Fingertips

Time is the new Luxury. From the comfort of one's own home ViaLuxe offers advanced time-saving features designed to guide consumers directly to what they are searching for. ViaLuxe offers the latest catalogs, in-depth product specifications, blogs, reviews and other rich content for over 60 of the most sought after luxury watch and jewelry brands. The site also showcases over 50,000 branded luxury items and has over 4000 authorized retailers listed. Other helpful tools and features include: advanced search and product recommendations, product reviews, side-by-side comparison for selected items, personal wish list creation, watch & jewelry news and blogs, brand information and daily trend tips and brand news.

ViaLuxe aims to drastically improve the online luxury shopping experience, and will soon expand their services to include authorized retailer storefronts, collector communities and clubs. Another key differentiator set to launch in the next few weeks is the ViaLuxe Concierge Service which will enable consumers to get immediate advice and help from a ViaLuxe watch/jewelry expert via phone, email or live chat. ViaLuxe is slated to add an Ecommerce platform within the next few months completing the ultimate luxury shopping experience.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Lawrence Kosick http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=70701