Virtuoso® and Private Sale Site Rue La La Form New Strategic Alliance

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtuoso®, the leading luxury travel network, and Rue La La, a leading private sale shopping site, today announced a new strategic alliance that combines the strength of both highly respected brands with a first-of-its-kind alliance. Together, Rue La La and Virtuoso will provide more luxury travel offerings with consultative travel planning to the online private sale space.

Rue La La is an online shopping emporium, an inspiring destination for everything associated with personal style, and a partner to brands that want to reach their business goals in creative ways.  Since introducing travel to its lifestyle offerings, Rue La La's 2.2 million members have purchased luxury excursions alongside their favorite fashion brands.

Rue La La's members will now have an unprecedented way to book premier luxury travel experiences when they gain access to Virtuoso's elite travel advisors, who are renowned for their high-touch service and expertise. Members will have the ability to shop for and purchase limited-capacity, luxury travel packages through www.ruelala.com.  These travel offers will be available via Travel Boutiques, curated by Virtuoso.  Boutiques are 48-hour individual "shops" on the Rue La La website.

Rue La La will also create a restricted-access, private label web site exclusively for Virtuoso clients. Virtuoso's travel advisors will be able to invite their clients to the private label site, where they will find a collection of individual travel offers with strong value-added elements that are not available to the general public. Those invited to the exclusive Virtuoso site will still have full access to the fashion merchandise boutiques offered by Rue La La.

The two companies share similar business philosophies. Both companies have created sizable memberships via an invitation-only model. Both companies marry excitement and convenience for members, delivering the highest quality of goods and services to discerning clientele.

"Virtuoso was judicious in our selection of a private sale alliance.  Rue La La is an innovative lifestyle destination that is changing the way consumers are shopping for travel online," says Kristi Jones, President of Virtuoso. "This relationship allows us to bring our advisors into the online arena without losing focus on what makes them exceptional – their customer service skills and travel knowledge. Moreover, it opens up a new avenue for client development, while providing Virtuoso's preferred travel providers a means of strategically filling inventory while protecting their brand with discerning travelers."  

This alliance demonstrates how travel advisors can leverage the success of the online travel marketplace.  Rue La La's innovative private sale platform offers members unique access to luxury travel. It also gives travel advisors opportunities for organic sales growth, by delivering the additional components like flights, rental cars, travel insurance and, most importantly, insider access that make a luxury trip complete.

"Our members will be able to come to Rue La La to create the ideal getaway, hand-crafted for them by Virtuoso," said Marka Jenkins Waechter, general manager, Experiences, Rue La La. "This is a level of care that they simply would not be able to find elsewhere. And they can find everything they need on Rue La La – not only an island escape, a spa retreat or a Mediterranean cruise, but the clothes and accessories they desire to make their vacation perfect."

About Virtuoso

Virtuoso® is the industry's leading luxury travel network. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 300 agencies with more than 6,000 elite travel specialists in 22 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, as well as over 1,000 of the world's best travel providers and premier destinations. The network's member agencies generate over $5.1 billion annually in travel sales, making the group the most powerful in the luxury travel segment. Their relationships with the finest travel companies provide the network's affluent clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. Virtuoso is the exclusive network of travel services and benefits provided by MasterCard® for participating World Elite MasterCard® programs. For more information, please visit www.virtuoso.com.

About Rue La La

Rue La La is a Members-only online shopping destination for all things related to a life of style and a strategic partner to innovative brands looking for new ways to achieve their business goals.  Founded by Ben Fischman in 2008, Rue La La inspires its members daily with access to a curated selection of the most coveted brands and offerings in fashion, home, beauty, travel, and more within its 48-hour, private sale Boutiques. Rue La La is a part of Retail Convergence Inc. (RCI), a GSI Commerce, Inc. company (Nasdaq: GSIC). Experience Rue La La by visiting www.ruelala.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements made in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Actual results might differ materially from what is expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Additional information about potential factors that could affect GSI Commerce can be found in its most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports and statements filed by GSI Commerce with the SEC. GSI Commerce expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Rue La La