An interview with Michael J. Mills, CEO and Founder of LuxGiftsnGoods.com
Ponte Vedra Recorder: What makes LuxGiftsnGoods.com different from the competition?
LuxGiftsnGoods.com: We have over 5,000 unique gifts for women, men, pets, home goods, jewelry, wellness and gourmet food items that most of our vendors prohibit selling on third party websites such as Amazon and ebay. More unique products that are not so easily or readily available combined with stellar, customer service make for a more special, retail purchase experience. I want someone shopping on LuxGiftsnGoods.com to always find something that is a surprise for them in a unique product that they have not seen before.
PVR: What was your inspiration to start LuxGiftsnGoods.com?
LuxGiftsnGoods.com: I had been an ebay power seller, but I had also desired to do something above and beyond. I have been fortunate to travel to 44 countries and 35 states, and I wanted to bring the best of what I have seen at home and abroad to our online offerings. We feature a handmade, olive wood box with premium olive oil from Karvelas Farms on Evia Island, Greece. That is perhaps our most unique and luxurious item.
PVR: How do you find unique gifts and products for LuxGiftsnGoods.com?
LuxGiftsnGoods.com: I attended the larger trade shows in New York, Atlanta, Dallas and Las Vegas. Now, a number of wholesale vendors are seeking out LuxGiftsnGoods.com given that we now have a five-year history and a large social media presence on the major social media sites.
PVR: What has been your biggest challenge growing LuxGiftsnGoods.com?
LuxGiftsnGoods.com: Having potential e-commerce customers find LuxGiftsnGoods.com has taken some time, and we continue to work daily to get the word out about all we are doing and offering. Now, having vendors be able to ship the product timely given the interruptions in supply chains due to the pandemic has been our biggest challenge. Customer education and communication are key. Many people are willing to wait for something truly special, but they also need to know that you are working diligently to get what is desired for them.
PVR: What are your short- and long-term goals for LuxGiftsnGoods.com?
LuxGiftsnGoods.com: Obviously, we want to obtain as many new and loyal customers as we can over the next years. Eventually, I would like to relinquish the reins of LuxGiftsnGoods.com to a successor person or entity who can get it to the next level. I would also like to have an Asian and European version as what is considered luxurious can often be cultural or regional. It would be a lot of fun for me to also host a show on QVC or HSN that showcases the many unique LuxGiftsnGoods.com vendors who are accomplished in their own right. Many have great senses of humor and stories to share along with their wonderfully designed, high quality, unique products. Having a large cash infusion would assist in making this happen, but I am proud that LuxGiftsnGoods.com is debt-free. We have grown as we go where other companies would have borrowed a bunch of money and folded due to pandemic-related issues with supply chain shortages. This has unfortunately happened to a number of my vendors. The wholesalers that have survived this pandemic are stronger for having done so.
PVR: Why did you move yourself and your company to Florida?
LuxGiftsnGoods.com: I moved myself to Florida from Nashville, Tennessee because Florida is a great state for entrepreneurs with tremendous opportunity for growth. I also like the business climate and actual climate in northeast Florida. What is not to love about the whole strand of sand from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine? I never get tired of exploring! As for my company, we are everywhere as we are pure e-commerce shipping our offerings from manufacturer direct to our individual and corporate customers within the U.S.
PVR: What is your hope for 2022?
LuxGiftsnGoods.com: I wish all to normalize in pricing, shipping and currency exchange. I am always on the lookout for unique, reliable, well-crafted and innovative products and hope to continue to find them as technology advances and supply chains normalize. As for myself and my company LuxGiftsnGoods.com, we want to make it through the next years and beyond with greater sales while winning many new friends and customers and raving fans along the way.
