NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 09/29/08 -- Trunkt, a distinct marketing platform offering exquisite design and exceptional style, today unveiled new interactive features with an innovative redesign in recognition of the site's one-year anniversary. As a social media tool, Trunkt.org simplifies a crowded marketplace by adding community features for independent designers. Trunkt does not sell goods, but rather curates items to create a social sharing movement. By impartially recommending products to its community and beyond, Trunkt has created the ideal viral movement for its 2,000 members and half a million monthly visitors.

Trunkt's unconventional thinking comes from an "agnostic" belief of not requiring exclusivity -- a contrasting view for many e-commerce stores. Trunkt chose an open market platform -- where content is not behind a subscription wall -- to enable visitors to look at each seller's website and portfolios and then decide if they want to become a member of the Trunkt community. Trunkt has been compared to Flickr for tangible goods. If the visitor chooses to become a member, they can have fun creating their own portfolios and producing showcases as curators for friends, family and the Trunkt community. The showcase section is the most popular and highest viewed area of the website.

Trunkt opted against a sales model believing that finding exceptional style and exquisite design is too difficult with all the gluttony of paid advertisement. Most e-tailers depend on visitors buying from their site exclusively and do not offer shopping alternatives because that's how they leverage sales. Trunkt charges sellers an annual fee without ambiguous referral fees.

The Trunkt model actually depends on visitors and members sharing what they find by linking their portfolios with other sites to increase traffic. By encouraging members to link up and share their portfolios with other sites and blogs -- especially one's in the handmade gift-giving category -- Trunkt acts as a new form of marketing and sharing vehicle because they are actually complementary to the competition.

"Comparing costs and considering purchases is a greater part of life today," claims Ayesha Ahmad, Co-founder of Trunkt.org. "Spontaneous online purchases have diminished and visitors are demanding options. Many want to see items up close so finding a nearby store is ideal. We introduce products to our visitors as a first round filter. Where and when our community chooses to buy is up to them. But they do not want to be boxed in."

With a curator's platform performing as a vertical search engine with a social media model in six categories, Trunkt filters out certain products and only carries the finest goods, which are evangelized, and save discriminating shoppers with upscale tastes precious time. Ultimately, savvy and chic shoppers may not find what they're looking for on Trunkt, but because the items are distinctive, visitors in an over-cluttered marketplace feel a kinship. Trunkt also meets the needs of international buyers on a trade level. Worldwide companies shop Trunkt to keep ahead of fashion trends and to look for new cultural directions and opportunities.

Interactive features include:

-- Showcases - Imagine the latitude that Simon Doonan, the creative director of Barneys New York, has. Millions of people want to show their talents. Members and vendors can curate their own collections by picking exactly 20 items to feature -- a specific genre, a theme or simply items they love. Showcases are the most visited pages because they allow members to show off their panache with a bit of pizazz

-- Portfolios - Promising entrepreneurs and talented designers can create, share and market their portfolios. With Trunkt 2.0, visitors can go directly to a seller's website or blog via a pop-up link

-- Widgets - Much like YouTube allows its members to embed videos into their personal blogs and websites, Trunkt enables its community to do the same with a member's premium portfolio

-- eCards - Create an eCard which highlights an item and links back to a member's portfolio

-- Wishlists - Members can keep track of items they would love or gifts for an upcoming special occasion. Create an eCard which links back to a member's portfolio

About Trunkt

Trunkt (www.trunkt.org) is the preeminent source for exquisite design and exceptional style. Because products are not sold on the site, visitors, members and sellers can use Trunkt in several ways, such as sharing and recommending independently designed items. Entrepreneurs and small businesses can use Trunkt to develop portfolios, showcases, eCards, collections and videos -- ranging from personal fashion to art, gourmet and wellness. Trunkt encourages its 2,000 members and over half a million monthly visitors to discover exquisite design and then share the exceptional styles with friends, family and within the Trunkt community.

Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine