PlanetLuLu.com hopes its Nab-O-Meter will generate excitement

Planet LuLu, an invitation only retailer in Los Angeles that sells women’s clothing samples, is taking to the web. But counter to the draw that most web sites have for customers, Planet LuLu will not be open around the clock. Just like its real-world counterpart, PlanetLuLu.com will be open only certain days and will be invitation only--the big difference being that anyone who registers at the site can receive an invitation to sales.

The site will feature what PlanetLuLu owner Noah Soltes calls a “Nab-O-Meter,” a countdown enumerator that tells shoppers exactly how many of each item are left. "Creating a sense of shopping urgency on the web, like we have in our retail store, was the biggest challenge,” Soltes says. “The Nab-O-Meter helps maintain that urgency.” PlanetLuLu.com will be open only seven to 10 days a month. It will offer 3,000 items from more than 30 designers. Planet LuLu did a test launch of the site June 1 and recorded 90,000 page views in the first hour the shop was open.