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1st Dibs – An Online Luxury Flea Marketplace

March 14, 2012 by BasilPuglisi Leave a Comment

A relatively new dynamic marketplace online, 1stDibs has shoppers covered on many items not so commonly found on other luxury or boutique websites. Covering everything from antique furniture to vintage fashions, 1stDibs items come straight from the Paris flea market, as well as American and European dealers. This is an incredible resource helping consumers to find tons of unique items from all over the globe, all on one friendly site.

Interior Design

1stDibs has fast become the Etsy, Ebay, or flea market for many interior designers of the amateur and professional type. Although this remote form of design may have some cons when it comes to matching colors or fabrics, or even high shipping cost on heavy items such as furniture, the sellers on 1stDibs seem to make up for any excessive cost with sometimes incredibly affordable prices. However, one noticeable con for many is that very pricing.  Because 1stDibs is a luxury online boutique, they do have specialty items that are rather costly, bringing the average cost of items on site higher than those you are likely to find on Etsy or Artfire.

True Specialty Shopping

While there may be many boutique shopping websites available, not many of them will have the uncommon listings like those at 1stDibs.

  • Furniture & Lighting
  • Fine Art
  • Jewelry, Watches, & Silver
  • Fine Homes
  • Fashion

It seems like many top designers, artists, and dealers have already embraced 1stDibs. 1stDibs is helping them to make the full transition from local foot sales to online entrepreneurship. Currently there are over 1,200 dealers and designers on site and 1stDibs is selling well over 6,000 items each month. There are many dealers queued on the waiting list who want to join.

Aside from the obvious convenience this can offer to those in the interior design industry, other industries that have begun to benefit from 1stDibs include:

  • High-End Realty
  • Fashion Designers
  • Arts Dealers
  • Fine Jewelers

Matt Cohler, the general partner at Benchmark Capital stated that,

” Both literally and figuratively, 1stdibs has the goods to significantly extend their leadership position in the online luxury category.”

According to a study conducted by Bain & Co.’s on Luxury Goods Worldwide Market, the luxury goods market grew over 14% globally in 2012 allowing it to reach an astounding $256.6 billion dollars as an industry.

Author:

@BasilPuglisi is the Executive Director and Publisher for Digital Brand Marketing Education (dbmei.com). Basil C. Puglisi is also the President of Puglisi Consulting Group, Inc. A Digital Brand Marketing Consultancy that manages professional and personal branding for Fortune 500 CEOs, Hedge Fund Managers and Small Business Owners.

Sources:

  • 1stDibs
  • On 1stdibs, Dreams, at Least, Are Free
  • 1stdibs Names David Rosenblatt as CEO; Benchmark Invests
  • 1stDibs Crunchbase Profile
  • 1st Dibs Finds

Filed Under: General Tagged With: 1stdibs, Benchmark Capital, business, David Rosenblatt, design, Etsy, Furniture, Interior design

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