History

If you’ve ever been overwhelmed by too much information when researching products on the web, then 3LUXE was designed for you. We (my wife, two kids and I) moved last summer, which put us in the market for a number of big-ticket items all at one time. I was quickly frustrated by my ability to find an objective (or for that matter subjective) site that identified the best electronics, furniture, fixtures, appliances, etc. Having to buy so many things at once really brought into sharp focus that there was no one source to easily identify the best items for purchase.

To be clear, they’re not impossible to find. Just frustrating. And time consuming. The search engines give you millions of results, and the information exists within those, but it takes a ton of time to winnow through the results to find the results that are really relevant. And the shopping engines are only of real use when you already know what you want to purchase. So given our move, my job as the head of an agency (Barefoot), and the time I wanted to spend with my family, I didn’t have a ton of extra time to invest in my own research, and I was bummed that there was no one else out there doing it either.

Thus 3LUXE.

At 3LUXE, we do the research for you and we limit our results to the three things that we identify as the “Best Ofs” in each category. If you’re looking for the “Best Of” digital cameras, we give you the three best options, not millions of search results. And while our reviews are certainly subjective (we have real people actually researching the products, not algorithms), they are also completely objective in that no one can buy their way onto the list.

We intend that our “Best Ofs” will be very fluid and reflect the latest information available. As you bring better products to our attention, or as we uncover them ourselves with ongoing research, we’ll continually update our categories to keep the site relevant, useful and most important, simple.

We want you to think of us as the friend you turn to when you’re about to buy something. Not just any friend, but the friend (who’s perhaps a bit obsessive/compulsive) that relentlessly researches a category. Not making a purchase until they’ve become an expert. We’re that friend on steroids. Our goal is to research everything, so you don’t have to.

We hope you find 3LUXE helpful, and we hope you’ll add your voice to those helping us make sure that the products and services we’re highlighting truly represent the Best of Everything.

All the best,
Doug Worple

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you select the 3 “Best Ofs” in each category?
We do the same painstaking research you’d do if you had more time.  We thoroughly review all the available information. Including, but not limited to, online reviews, magazine articles, company literature, and our own consumers’ feedback.  Where possible, our team does rely on personal use, but for many items (large size jets anyone?) that’s just not practical.

Are the ads and reviews related?
No.  All of the research and review work is done completely independent of any advertiser or outside company influence.  This editorial independence is an incredibly important part of what we do to ensure the 3LUXE experience accomplishes what you want – giving you unbiased perspective on the best in any given category.

Who does the research?
We have over a dozen writers and researchers located around the country who do the research for each product category.  Where possible, we set our assignments based on a personal passion for, or experience in, the categories that they are asked to research or write about.  Once they’ve narrowed the field down to four to five choices, Doug and Bill narrow it down to the final three.

How does 3LUXE make money?
3LUXE is an advertising supported site. By creating an audience of people who are interested in possibly purchasing in a category, we create a valuable and targeted environment for companies to place their advertising message.  We also hope to make money by referring people to other sites such as Shopzilla or Amazon as our 3LUXE consumers take the next step in the purchase process.

Does it cost me anything to use 3LUXE?
It does not.  As stated above, we make our money from advertising placement. We do not charge any subscription fees (ala Consumer Reports).

Who’s taller, Doug or Bill?
While Doug is significantly older than Bill, he has to cede the taller title to Bill by a noticeable margin.  Doug still believes that he can beat Bill in a game of one-on-one.

About the Founders

Bill Worple

Bill Worple manages all operations and editorial content for 3LUXE. Bill joined 3LUXE from Digital River where as a Senior Director, he led a team of account managers in delivering e-commerce and marketing solutions to an extensive list of marquee clients. Digital River is a global leader in e-commerce outsourcing, having built, managed and grown revenues for companies like Symantec, Motorola, 3M and Staples.com.

Bill became involved with 3LUXE when Doug reached out to him to see if he knew of anyone who might be a good candidate to run operations and help bring 3LUXE to life. Surprisingly, Bill volunteered himself. After balancing the excitement of working with his talented brother with the fear of explaining to his mom why her youngest child was no longer gainfully employed, Doug quickly realized that Bill was an ideal candidate for the role. Well-versed in e-commerce and technology, Bill was able to quickly step in and begin assembling the research team and technology resources necessary to bring 3LUXE to life.

Bill lives in the Twin Cities with his wife Katie and their three children (two boys - ages seven and five and a new baby girl). Categories that Bill brings a personal passion to include sports cars, scotches, technology, and being a bit of one himself, tools.

Bill would like to thank Doug for working with him again... They first worked together, refurbishing Doug's first home. It may not have turned out the way Doug envisioned, but it did spark Bill's interest in tools and provided much needed "practice" for Bill and Katie's first home.

Doug Worple

Doug Worple takes primary responsibility for the company vision, and for ensuring the 3LUXE experience is a positive one for all who visit our site. Doug, who originally developed the idea for 3LUXE, is also founder and CEO of Barefoot, a Cincinnati based agency specializing in advertising, design and interactive solutions for companies who want to tap into Barefoot’s expertise in Marketing the Pursuit of Happiness™. Prior to starting Barefoot, Doug toiled for nearly 8 years at Procter & Gamble, first as a financial analyst, and later as a Brand Manager.

Doug lives in Cincinnati with his wife Becca, who unfortunately has personal experience with far too many items on this site, and his two kids, a boy (age seven) and a girl (age nine).

Categories that Doug is personally passionate about include the outdoors, particularly anything that facilitates the enjoyment of his island cottage on Georgian Bay, and world travel. And since he cannot as yet afford to avoid commercial air travel, he’s keenly interested in fractional jet programs, and is willing to serve as a company spokesperson for Bombardier in trade for a little flight time.

Doug would like to attribute any success that 3LUXE enjoys to Bill.

Advertising

To learn about advertising opportunities on 3LUXE, .

News

Press Releases

3LUXE Publishes First Luxury Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
January 24, 2008

3LUXE Gives Consumers the Gift of Time This Holiday Season
November 15, 2007

Save Time and Frustration When Shopping Online
June 12, 2007

Print

3 Great Sailboats
TwinCities Business - February, 2008

Best Buy's flat-panel TVs get static from AV industry group
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, MN - November 30, 2007

Waterloo natives hope 'best of' Web site is a hit
Waterloo Courier, IA - August 12, 2007

Triple Play
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, MN - July 27, 2007

Boiling it down to the top 3
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - June 25, 2007

Consumer-friendly website takes off
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - June 18, 2007

Brothers launch online product search firm
Cincinnati Business Courier, OH - June 12, 2007

Barefoot founder launches new company
Cincinnati Enquirer, OH - June 12, 2007

Blogs

100+ Recommendation Engines for Great Discoveries and Saving Time
Online College Blog- March 17, 2009

Online Luxury Retailer Offers Extremely Edited Assortment
AllBusiness, Mike Kraus - July 22, 2008

Building Awareness With the Web
American Venture Magazine - March 10, 2008

3LUXE: Simplifying Online Shopping
teamsugar - December 12, 2007

Combating Retail Search Fatigue
Ecommerce Apprentice - December 5, 2007

Top 3 of Everything... Simply the Best
Amenity Blog - November 28, 2007

Cool site for registry ideas
Weber Wedding - November 28, 2007

Top 3 Choices for Shoppers
Springwise - November 23, 2007

Suffering from Search Engine Fatigue? 3Luxe Attempts to Offer a Remedy
Mashable, Andy Angelos - October 31, 2007

Social Shopping & Recommendations - 3Luxe Luxury E-Catalogue
TRENDHUNTER- October 09, 2007

Simply the Best: Check Out 3Luxe
The Fashionable Kiffen, Jacqueline Zenn - October 05, 2007

3LUXE IS SEARCH ENGINE NIRVANA
Ashworth Information, Will Ashworth - September 1, 2007

3Luxe: A $500K Virtual Investment
Andrew Ive - August 31, 2007

Consumers' Search Engine
COOLBUSINESSIDEAS.com - August 28, 2007

Television

Online Shopping Tips - Watch Here
Showcase Minnesota, KARE 11 - November 26, 2007

Radio

Online Shopping, Bill Worple Interview
The Marc Wayne Show, WICH AM 1310, March 11, 2008

Finding the Best, Bill Worple Interview
Tron Simpson Morning Show, KCMN AM 1530, February 11, 2008

Finding The Best Presents this Christmas - Listen Here
Les in the Morning, WEOL AM 930, December 11, 2007

Bill Worple Interview - Listen Here
DayBreak USA, November 14, 2007