WebProNews

Christmas is coming, and at any given company, "cash" is likely to be high on the corporate wish list.  So Ideeli is doing quite well, having received $3.8 million as something of an early holiday present.

Ideeli debuted its "red-rope online shopping community" on the same day, turning this is an important time for the company.  Things will be all the more make-or-break since it intends to attract a rather elite crowd.

We're leaning towards the "make" side of the continuum, however, as Ideeli's executive team has connections to Ralph Lauren and Gucci.  Also, an invite-only structure should maintain an air of exclusivity (and hopefully not emptiness).

"ideeli's multiplatform shopping experience provides more than just an opportunity to get luxury goods at great values -- it's engaging and fun," said ideeli founder and CEO Paul Hurley in a statement.  His shopping experience might also be valuable to outside corporations; Hurley later continued, "We've been able to translate member excitement into a deeper connection with established and up-and-coming brands."

The floundering economy might act as a bit of a damper, but otherwise, we foresee those connections growing as fast as the invite-only system allows.