vente
exclusive
laura, jeroen & sharon - vente-exclusive.com
October 2017
interview by Isrid
'We see a more human side to the online experience'
Online Flash Sales
Vente-Exclusive.com was created and founded by Léon Seynaeve en Stefan Tournoy. Vente-Exclusive.com creates unique shopping moments for its members by use of temporary brand campaigns. ‘Shop smart, feel great’ is their motto. They started off by focusing on fashion primarily, they now offer a wide range of several lifestyle categories. These categories include: small home décor, sofas, bed linen and beauty products.
Laura: “Vente-exclusive.com was added to the Vente-Privee Group back in 2015. Vente-Privee Group had a very strong presence in France and currently holds the market leader position of the so called online flash sales in Europe. The concept is to have an exclusive offer online, of a particular brand name article, for a limited time, only available to its members.”
Jeroen: “Nowadays we have over five million members. As a member you can indicate your favorite brands you wish to follow. Through email or our app, members are being notified when their ‘love brands’ are promoting special offers. It is fascinating to see the passion it evokes when our consumers get the chance to purchase an item of one of their favorite brands. This unique shopping experience gives our members an adrenaline rush, that we help create.”
Are there any advantages for the brands working together with Vente-Exlusive.com?
Jeroen: “Each season every brand faces a certain overproduction and stock. We offer them the chance to highlight these articles to our members in an elegant, closed off and controlled manner. We are also a significant market tool for our brands. Initially our members are attracted to the ‘special offer’ banner but we find it also motivates our members to continue on and buy these brands either at the store or online.”
Vente-Exclusive.com was created and founded by Léon Seynaeve en Stefan Tournoy. Vente-Exclusive.com creates unique shopping moments for its members by use of temporary brand campaigns. ‘Shop smart, feel great’ is their motto. They started off by focusing on fashion primarily, they now offer a wide range of several lifestyle categories. These categories include: small home décor, sofas, bed linen and beauty products.
Laura: “Vente-exclusive.com was added to the Vente-Privee Group back in 2015. Vente-Privee Group had a very strong presence in France and currently holds the market leader position of the so called online flash sales in Europe. The concept is to have an exclusive offer online, of a particular brand name article, for a limited time, only available to its members.”
Jeroen: “Nowadays we have over five million members. As a member you can indicate your favorite brands you wish to follow. Through email or our app, members are being notified when their ‘love brands’ are promoting special offers. It is fascinating to see the passion it evokes when our consumers get the chance to purchase an item of one of their favorite brands. This unique shopping experience gives our members an adrenaline rush, that we help create.”
Are there any advantages for the brands working together with Vente-Exlusive.com?
Jeroen: “Each season every brand faces a certain overproduction and stock. We offer them the chance to highlight these articles to our members in an elegant, closed off and controlled manner. We are also a significant market tool for our brands. Initially our members are attracted to the ‘special offer’ banner but we find it also motivates our members to continue on and buy these brands either at the store or online.”
'Everybody is allowed to bring ideas to the table, no matter the position you are in'
Can you tell us something about your background and motivation to work for Vente-Exclusive.com?
Jeroen: “My background is that of premium retail. I worked for Baldessarini and Hugo Boss stores in the P.C. Hoofd street as a store manager and buyer. Following that, I set up a name brand boutique in downtown Laren. In 2012, I chose to work for Vente-Exclusive.com since I had complete faith in their unique business model. My job is to expedite the area in which commerce and various networks come together. Everybody is allowed to bring ideas to the table, no matter the position you are in.”
Sharon: “I started my career as a consultant, generally to advise on internet strategy; a job I could really sink my teeth in. However, I had the urge to take on a more hands on approach rather than consulting other parties. Eventually I came in contact with Vente-Exclusive.com. I instantly fell in love, not only with this innovative concept, but also with the founders who continue to inspire and remain a driving force behind this company. I joined right from the start of the Dutch launch and I am able to put my curiosity, entrepreneurship and urge for innovation to good use. Aside from that, I feel lucky to be able to work with a diverse and talented team, from which I learn every single day. That is the driving force behind my work.”
Laura: “My background is divers as well as international. I have been calling Holland my home for the past ten years. I have lived in Germany, France, Singapore, Italy and Spain, which is also my country of birth. I started my career at an e-commerce start up in Germany. My roll was to guide the transition from international expansion to the stock exchange. I finished my MBA at INSEAD and worked several positions in which internationalization, transformation, growth and entrepreneurship, were the main focus. At the start of my career I developed my passion for e-commerce. It was love at first sight when I came across Vente-Exclusive.com. I couldn’t resist the team spirit, the standards and values of this company and the unique consumer experience.”
Jeroen: “My background is that of premium retail. I worked for Baldessarini and Hugo Boss stores in the P.C. Hoofd street as a store manager and buyer. Following that, I set up a name brand boutique in downtown Laren. In 2012, I chose to work for Vente-Exclusive.com since I had complete faith in their unique business model. My job is to expedite the area in which commerce and various networks come together. Everybody is allowed to bring ideas to the table, no matter the position you are in.”
Sharon: “I started my career as a consultant, generally to advise on internet strategy; a job I could really sink my teeth in. However, I had the urge to take on a more hands on approach rather than consulting other parties. Eventually I came in contact with Vente-Exclusive.com. I instantly fell in love, not only with this innovative concept, but also with the founders who continue to inspire and remain a driving force behind this company. I joined right from the start of the Dutch launch and I am able to put my curiosity, entrepreneurship and urge for innovation to good use. Aside from that, I feel lucky to be able to work with a diverse and talented team, from which I learn every single day. That is the driving force behind my work.”
Laura: “My background is divers as well as international. I have been calling Holland my home for the past ten years. I have lived in Germany, France, Singapore, Italy and Spain, which is also my country of birth. I started my career at an e-commerce start up in Germany. My roll was to guide the transition from international expansion to the stock exchange. I finished my MBA at INSEAD and worked several positions in which internationalization, transformation, growth and entrepreneurship, were the main focus. At the start of my career I developed my passion for e-commerce. It was love at first sight when I came across Vente-Exclusive.com. I couldn’t resist the team spirit, the standards and values of this company and the unique consumer experience.”
Atypical tenant
Sharon: “We introduced Vente-Exlusive.com to the Dutch market in 2010. We started out in a small office located at Schiphol Airport with a total of three employees. The concept of ‘online flash sales’ was unfamiliar territory to most brands and we really had to work hard to get them to join in. We quickly decided to move to the WFC, it felt like the right place to start the company. We are not your typical tenant since we don’t have our own collections and we don’t need a showroom for our clients to select their stock. We felt, however, it was relevant and inspirational to be here among all these beautiful brands. First of, we leased a showroom in Tower Four and as our company grew, we moved to a larger space in Tower Two. Today we have approximately 35 employees.”
Sharon: “We introduced Vente-Exlusive.com to the Dutch market in 2010. We started out in a small office located at Schiphol Airport with a total of three employees. The concept of ‘online flash sales’ was unfamiliar territory to most brands and we really had to work hard to get them to join in. We quickly decided to move to the WFC, it felt like the right place to start the company. We are not your typical tenant since we don’t have our own collections and we don’t need a showroom for our clients to select their stock. We felt, however, it was relevant and inspirational to be here among all these beautiful brands. First of, we leased a showroom in Tower Four and as our company grew, we moved to a larger space in Tower Two. Today we have approximately 35 employees.”
'Interaction with our members is a vital part.'
The future of fashion
Jeroen: “These days a lot of brands seem to expand. Large brands choose to manage their own retail and create their own brand name surroundings. Apart from that we have noticed a rise in the development of multi brand concepts as we see locally, in stores like Hutspot, and internationally, at Hudson’s Bay. Outlet development shows strong authentic concepts rather than a brand name spin off.”
What does the future hold for Vente-Exclusive.com? Sharon: “We are known as a Tech company but we are fully aware online shopping has become more and more about people. Interaction with our members is a vital part.”
Laura: “We see a more human side to the online experience. Partnership has become a more relevant issue. We try and create added value for our partners, it is essential to everything we do. For example, we support the growth of our partners by sharing and explaining our data research and consumer’s behaviour. Another way to support is to offer our partners possibilities in new markets through way of our presence and visibility on a European level.”
Jeroen: “These days a lot of brands seem to expand. Large brands choose to manage their own retail and create their own brand name surroundings. Apart from that we have noticed a rise in the development of multi brand concepts as we see locally, in stores like Hutspot, and internationally, at Hudson’s Bay. Outlet development shows strong authentic concepts rather than a brand name spin off.”
What does the future hold for Vente-Exclusive.com? Sharon: “We are known as a Tech company but we are fully aware online shopping has become more and more about people. Interaction with our members is a vital part.”
Laura: “We see a more human side to the online experience. Partnership has become a more relevant issue. We try and create added value for our partners, it is essential to everything we do. For example, we support the growth of our partners by sharing and explaining our data research and consumer’s behaviour. Another way to support is to offer our partners possibilities in new markets through way of our presence and visibility on a European level.”
Published in the WFC 50 year anniversary book