Curated: Expert Shopping Advice, Online

Curated is solving a simple but important problem: people want to buy things online, but for big-ticket items they still want advice from a salesperson. It almost seems silly to buy a pair of skis online because there are so many questions and considerations.

Curated pairs customers who want to buy something expensive with experts who know about those categories. Customers can speak with experts via email, video chat or text message.

Curated uses the classic retail model: they purchase inventory from suppliers at wholesale prices and sell at retail prices. Experts get paid by Curated: they earn a commission on all sales and also receive an hourly wage. Customers get free advice and pay the standard retail price for the items they buy (Curated price matches most online retailers... See more

Here’s how all the pieces fit together. Curated isn’t a typical two-sided marketplace between customers and suppliers. Instead, it’s a three-sided marketplace with customers, suppliers and experts.