The RubyLUX platform empowers luxury product dealers with the most effective and diverse 21st century sales tools available. Dealers are able to tailor RubyLUX services to their individual needs, participating in catalogs, online auctions, and themed sales designed to complement and grow their existing brick-and-mortar.RubyLUX provides sellers and buyers direct, efficient, and transparent access to one another, never coming between dealer and client.
Q/A with TOM JOHNSON:
What is RubyLUX and what inspired you to create it?
RubyLUX is an online interactive marketplace for the best of luxury design, past & present, offering antiques, 20th century, decor, fine art, jewelry and watches.
In addition to being the founder and CEO of RubyLUX, I am also the founder and CEO of RubyLane.com which has an 18 year history of success as an online marketplace. Noticing a change coming to the luxury marketplace and many requests from dealers to build a luxury platform, my technical background and passion for collecting beautiful pieces inspired me to build the sales tools of the future dedicated to luxury products. My goal is to build the best dealer-centric online platform possible, where dealers and the marketplace can work together to achieve common goals.
What makes RubyLUX different from other online platforms, your competitors?
I believe my history of supporting Ruby Lane dealers has proven my character and integrity towards helping dealers succeed, and that providing a transparent interaction between dealers and their clients is something I really support. The RubyLUX focus is on quality not quantity, and of course luxury products that are all curated.
How have you curated relationships with the online dealers and vendors?
I like to take a personal approach and make myself available to our dealers. This is what drives the site to be the best of the best. Taking a proactive approach to listening to dealers and their needs, and working these ideas into the platform only helps them achieve further success. Dealers shouldn’t contact the platform just for a technical glitch or issue.
What is the benefit for dealers or artists to choose to work with RubyLUX?
Well first we have a simple flat rate fee structure with no commissions on sales, and since we work so closely with our dealers, they are able to help grow and shape features on the site that best meet their needs. We work together to make the site successful for all.
What is the benefit of RubyLUX to the design and shelter community?
We have a powerful LUXList portfolio system which they can tailor to their clients needs by selecting different products from a wide range of dealers, grouping and filing them in a way that makes best sense for their projects, and being able to share that information directly with clients, dealers or other designers. And since we are commission free, they can get the best net pricing directly from the dealer, and in turn pass it on to their clients. We also have a free concierge service that can search product for designers as well as consumers!
What are trends in the design and buying market you see taking place in this new year? For example are you seeing an increase in mid-century modern or 18th century pieces being purchased?
Mid-century modern is still a huge trend, but as the mass-market retailers fill their lines with it there’s a sure sign there’ll be movement in another direction soon. I think you’ll start to see traditional pieces working their way into modern design.
What is LuxPOP! edition to RubyLUX all about?
LuxPOP is our online magazine that has relevant features on our dealers and interesting articles on luxury products, places, fashion and trends; editorial that inspires good design and engages our audience.
What are five of your favorite pieces on RubyLUX?
There are so many to choose from! Here’s some pieces on my LUXList:
Mid-century pendant lights from Derive in Vienna
Paul McCobb sideboard from Ad Lib Studio in Hudson
Tile mosaic from a design by Fernand Leger and created by Heidi Melano from Makassar-France in Paris
A pair of Pair of Hans J. Wegner Shell Chairs from Galerie Gaudium in Amsterdam
Mid Century Modern Floor Lamp from Harveys on Beverly in Los Angeles
Art Deco bronze by Pierre Le Faguays from Deconamic in Belgium
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