White-Glove Online Consignment With Viyet
There’s a proliferation of consignment platforms offering design enthusiasts new ways to buy and sell furniture and accessories online. One of many is Viyet – and what makes them different? Their exceptional dedication to service and mission to empower designers of the trade. Viyet has a trade program offering designers 15% off all orders, and a curator/client-relations team providing one-on-one services. After a finished project, they’ll even feature your designs, furnished with Viyet’s pieces, on their homepage and blog. Here, Viyet shares details about their curation strategy, relationships with interior designers, and what’s next for 2017.
How does Viyet offer a white-glove service experience for online consignment?
Our goal is to make selling furniture online as easy as possible by taking the hassle out of consignment. Through our network of skilled curators across the country, we are able to take care of every step of the consignment process, from photography and pricing, to coordinating pick-up and delivery to the buyers. Our consignors can rest easy knowing they are in the hands of experts while we find the right buyers for their pieces.
Photo courtesy of Viyet
ELLE Decor named Viyet “the best place to buy furniture online”. Why is now the time to consign?
Through our partnerships with top designers and editors, we have been able to cultivate a savvy audience of active buyers who appreciate great design, ensuring that our consignors receive the highest possible return on their investment. These buyers are on the hunt for unique pieces that will make their home stand out, but they don’t want to wait the 4+ months it can take to have a custom sofa delivered. This is why Viyet has become so compelling to the design buyer – we offer a large yet curated selection of brands from the top end of market, all for 40-80% below retail prices along with the added benefit of immediate shipping.
Viyet seems to roll-out its “consigning” opportunities one city at a time – what is Viyet’s curation strategy?
We want to be where the designers are. This means having curators present where there are robust designer communities, which includes the usual suspects like New York and Los Angeles, as well as places like Charlotte with its close proximity to High Point, NC. Given the fact that this is a highly relationship-driven business, we don’t want to rush our expansion, but are instead taking the time to get to know the local designers and earn their trust one community at a time.
As a company, why does Viyet focus on the high-end category vs. the full spectrum of pre-owned pieces?
High-end furnishings are defined by better quality materials and craftsmanship, two factors that preserve re-sale value over time. We want to make sure our selection represents the best of the best, and by focusing on top brands with a reputation for excellence, we are able to make sure that our products will still look good and function as intended for many years to come. Our product is original and one of a kind. This creates additional demand from consumers who appreciate custom pieces.
Tell us about some interesting partnerships you are proud of…
We are excited about our most recent partnership with Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Magazine. We partnered with Editor in Chief Elizabeth Ralls, designer Beth Webb and blogger Jennifer Boles to put together an elegant evening celebrating Viyet’s launch in the Atlanta market. The dinner was a great way for top designers in the city to mix and mingle and talk about their projects. Elizabeth guest edited and picked her must have’s from our site, while Beth Webb was featured on our home page and across all of our digital channels.
What are your best-selling categories and styles?
Our top categories are seating, tables and accessories for different reasons. Accessories are fun and an easy way to spruce up a room. They instantly change the way you perceive a space and can make a statement about how you are feeling at a given time of year. Tables and seating are higher ticket items but the values are so incredible and our discerning consumers understand that.
Photography courtesy of Viyet
Who are some of the up & coming designers and manufacturers that have been making a splash in 2016?
We are excited about new talents on the scene like Antonino Buzzetta, Henry & Co, and Drew McGukin. But we also love partnering with seasoned designers that are always working to create incredible homes like foley & cox and Jay Jeffers.
How does the Viyet interior designer membership program differ from other trade programs out there?
Like many programs, we offer a discount on all merchandise for designers (15% in our case). Where we differ is in our approach to service. We have a team of brand ambassadors who are dedicated to helping our trade clients find exactly the piece(s) they are looking for, and making sure the fulfillment process is as smooth as possible post-purchase. We are also always looking for ways to help our trade members build their own brands by featuring their work on our homepage, email campaigns, blog features and more.
Photo courtesy of Viyet
Why do interior designers like shopping on Viyet?
First, the fact that every item on our site has been personally vetted by a curator takes a lot of the x risk factor out of buying items online. Designers can shop confidently knowing that each item is accurately described. Second, our trade buyers recognize that we offer a way to make their budgets go even further without sacrificing quality. By shopping Viyet, designers can find investment pieces from brands like Holly Hunt, Baker, and Donghia at Restoration Hardware prices. Because everything is ready to ship immediately, we also offer an easy way to find last minute finishing touches that can be delivered in a matter of weeks instead of months.
What are 4 tips of “best practices” to offer interior designers for making the most out of Viyet?
Check new arrivals early and often: we release new product every Monday and Thursday. Our best items sell within a matter of hours, so act fast!
Make an offer: many consignors are willing to negotiate, giving you an opportunity to get an even better deal.
Refer your client’s old furniture to us. Instead of figuring out how to shoehorn that old table or regrettable impulse buy, refer your client to consign with us and increase their design budget.
Look for our to-the-trade only emails that highlight certain promotions and additional on-site discounts.
What’s Viyet’s focus for 2017?
Our focus now is on scaling our inventory selection and continuing to provide high quality supply to meet buyer demand. We are doing this by unlocking inventory from key design hubs around the US (and ultimately the world) from individuals, designers, and manufacturers themselves. We are now curating inventory in the New York Tri-State area, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and South Florida with many more locations to come.