vente-privee.com deals in the concept of online retailing. The company was developed in an online environment to host sales of designer brands for invite-only members, with reduced prices. These sales include a diverse selection of product categories: fashion, accessories, toys, watches, home appliances, sports equipment, technology and wines. To join the Club you must be referred by an existing member.

History

vente-privee.com was founded in 2001 by the current CEO, Jacques-Antoine Granjon, and his seven business partners. Jacques-Antoine Granjon founded his first company after graduating from the EBS (European Business School) in 1985. He moved to Paris and entered the end of line distribution industry. At the end of 2000 Jacques-Antoine Granjon and his associates began to conceptualise the sale of end of season stock through limited-time sales events on the internet. The principle was to fulfil supplier’s needs to quickly sell excess stock, without harming the brand’s image or diverting revenue from other distribution channels. The www.vente-privee.com website was launched in 2001. The first three years were a period of investment and development. The growth period began in 2004. In July 2007 the American venture capitalists Summit Partners acquired a 20% stake of vente-privee.com with a view to supporting the company’s international development. vente-privee.com has currently operations in France, Spain, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

vente-privee.com infrastructure

vente-privee.com employs 750 people.

500 employees are based in the old printing factory of the French daily newspaper Le Monde, in La Plaine Saint Denis (Paris):

• A production team of designers (video and sound engineers, photographers, hair and makeup stylists, photo editors, web designers), IT specialists and sales coordinators
• An internal European customer services team who responds by email to member enquiries. The company also has external call centres based in Lille for operations in France, Barcelona for Spain, Frankfurt for Germany, Milan for Italy and Richmond (Greater London) for the UK.

The remaining 250 employees work in the 105,000 m2 warehouses in Blanc-Mesnil (Paris) and St. Vulbas (near Lyon).

Concept

The vente-privee.com concept is the organisation of designer brand sales events over a limited period of time (typically 2-3 days), available to invite-only members.

How it works

Registration with www.vente-privee.com is free of charge and does not entail an obligation to buy. To register you must be referred by an existing member. 48 hours before a sale takes place, an invitation email is sent to all vente-privee.com members. Sales usually start at 6 am GMT on weekdays, and 8 am GMT on weekends, and last for 2 to 3 days. When a sale has ended vente-privee.com places an order with the brand partner. When delivered, this is packed, labelled and delivered to members who participated in the sale. Members are also able to cancel their orders or return items, depending on local laws.

Key figures

5.7 million members in Europe
2.7 million customers in 2007
239 million visits in 2007
1 million visitors per day
753 sales in 2007 (1530 forecasted for 2008)
18 million products sold in 2007
350 million Euros revenue in 2007 (490 million Euros forecast for 2008)
750 employees (250 new employees planned for 2008)

Awards

2007

• 2007 Jacques-Antoine Granjon was voted 'E-Commerce Business man of the year' (Awarded by E-commerce Magazine 2007),
• During the Favor’i ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of FEVAD (French Federation of Mail Order Companies), Jacques-Antoine Granjon won the 'Favor’i d’Honneur' award recognising him as the most influential Distance Selling Businessman of the last 50 years. The website was also rewarded for being 'The Internet user’s Favor’i for exclusive online sales'
• vente-privee.com received the jury’s special award for the strongest growth of a European company founded within the last 10 years 'The Changing Times Award Audemars-Piguet'.

2006

• Second nomination for 'Best e-commerce website in terms of customer satisfaction.'

2005

• 'Innovation prize for the best French e-commerce website' and nomination for 'Best e-commerce website in terms of customer satisfaction' (Baromètre Direct Panel).

Notes and references