Sassy Scoop: Rubyup – Delightful Deals, Done in Style

We know you totally get the whole group-buying concept by now and chances are you probably receive an email (or two or three!) daily from one of the many sites that have launched around town.

Well, you know the saying… the more the merrier, so today we are welcoming Rubyup, the newest deal darling in town. Rubyup is aspiring to be Hong Kong’s version of Gilt City and they are promising delightful deals done in style. We suggest keeping your eye on what they get up to by signing up for their mailing list.

We are big fans of female entrepreneurs here at Sassy so we couldn’t resist the chance to sit down with Rubyup’s co-founder Joanna Cheung to learn a little more about what’s in store for the newly-launched site.

Why did you decide to start Rubyup?
Along with my business partner Michael, we felt that there wasn’t an online deal service that seeks to bring together the best of what the local and expat communities can offer. We also wanted a site that is editorially and pictorially pleasing – something we would want to read about even if we are not looking to buy the deal.

Can you give us a glimpse into some of the Rubyup deals that will be launched soon?
Sure! We have an amazing dinner-for-2 deal at Gyotake Restaurant, followed by some amazing detox and facial deals featuring Spas around Soho area. Coming up is also some cool stuff such as mooncake-making classes, wakeboarding lessons, and coffee tasting tutorial classes.

What is your dream deal that you would like to offer on RubyUp?
My dream deal would be one that brings out amazing buzz around the City, and that brings out the folks from different communities.

What was the inspiration behind the name Rubyup? Does it mean anything specific?
The inspiration is a slightly geeky one; one feature that will be in the pipeline for our product development is gaming. We believe that loyal customers should be rewarded with more, and we want to do it in a “level up” way. 

Members are rewarded with more the higher up and the more they show their loyalty towards their beloved brands, hence the word “UP” in our brand. Ruby because it’s a precious gemstone often used in Chinese jewelry and ornaments, something that reflects our target market and culture.

What advice would you give to girls who are looking to start their own company in HK?
Give it a full go when you see the right opportunity; don’t wait around for the perfect one, for you will end up not starting anything at all. Oh, and have tons of fun while you’re at it!

Of course we couldn’t keep it strictly business and we had to ask Joanna a little fashion question out of pure nosiness. We are not sure if there will ever be a day where we get through an interview, meeting or event without diverting to the topic of nail polish, fashion or eating out! Oh well, we try our best to keep things professional but it is hard sometimes with so much loveliness floating around us…

Can you share with us the best fashion deal you ever scored? We would love to see a pic too if you want to share!
I don’t have a photo of my favorite sale piece as it’s with the dry cleaners because I wear it all the time! It is a Lanvin ribbon sequence top that I wear to work. I bought it a year ago at a sample sale!

Be the first to score Rubyup’s delightful deals! Sign up for their mailing list by clicking here.