Founded in 2010 by a 28 year year old ex investment banker Ning Li, Made.com is based on the principle that “the high street and expensive brands” can “give consumers a raw deal” because the customer ends up paying for so many middlemen. Li discovered that high-end furniture typically goes through seven hands or more in transit from factory to show room, and every hand takes a cut (Time magazine). So, Made.com does things a little differently… they cut out all middlemen –Web 2.0 at its finest
The website offers original up market furniture design at affordable prices (so that means cutting costs by no warehouses, no showroom rent and absolutely no middle guys). They group orders (every 7 days orders are processed and by that we mean only orders so there’s no spare stock) and they use fresh talent and finally finish it off with top manufacturers and suppliers – many who are the same as the high end retailers such as Roche Bobois and Conran.
Unique to made.com is crowdsourcing – a way of tapping into consumers in order to generate product designs. Li’s company will really only take its designs from professional designers who send in around 50-100 designs a month according to Time magazine. For every 100 submissions, roughly ten go to a public vote and then two or three end up as opportunities to actually buy! The winning designer get a royalty back from Made.com.
The only downside? A two to three month wait for your product… Li’s concept is however working as the press seem to love his idea and the designs on offer. Initially lining up nearly $4 million in backing to launch, Made.com, according to Li, could be profitable by mid 2011! So, if you’re into design or looking to buy a new sofa, take a look at Ning’s revolutionary site – a new design on furniture and e-tailing.
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