New York, NY, August 5th, 2008 - RugRag.com, created by brothers Matthew and David Dilmaghani, officially launched as a first-of-its-kind information portal for Oriental Rug shoppers. “Creating transparency in what has traditionally been a ‘buyer beware’ marketplace is our primary goal,” says Matthew Dilmaghani.

Misinformation about rugs abounds on eBay, on-line advertising, and across the internet. According to David Dilmaghani, “It’s not uncommon to find a rug at online auction advertised as a ‘100 year old Museum-quality Antique’ when, in reality, the item may be no more than 25 years old at best. Dishonest business practices hurt the reputation of all vendors, and hinder consumer confidence,” David adds.

Matthew, RugRag.com’s technology man, built the framework behind RugRag.com’s interactive tools. Launching along with the site is an industry first “Rug Estimator,” a free tool to help consumers understand that value in rugs is based on many factors.

"We had obvious concerns about how the industry would react to such a tool," says David. "Our stance has been, 'If you're a reputable merchant, this tool will reinforce your business, and we've been thrilled at the positive feedback we've received."

In response to the praise from online merchants, RugRag.com is simultaneously launching another industry-first tool specifically for e-tailers. Online sellers can submit their merchandise to the RugRag.com experts for authentication through their “Oriental Rug Verification” service. This 20 point verification process assures potential buyers that the description of the rug matches the picture provided by the merchant online.

“Our goal is to help online customers make more informed purchasing decisions. We first verify the rug is hand knotted, then we carefully assess various characteristics of the rug,” David explains.

One of the more difficult issues online consumers face are advertising techniques which are less than forthcoming. “Sellers omit essential information such as country of origin, yet make the claim the rug is ‘Persian.’ This is a misleading practice: although the rug may have a Persian design, it was not necessarily woven in Iran. For each rug verified through the service, RugRag.com provides a seal of approval and a link back to the custom report card on RugRag.com to guarantee the rug was actually verified. Merchandise that receives the RugRag.com seal stands out from the crowd, and this, claim Matthew and David, turns shoppers into customers.

About RugRag.com

RugRag.com is the leading innovator in online content and tools aimed at Oriental Rug shoppers, owners, and retailers. The site includes innovative tools including the “Oriental Rug Style Guide,” “Stain Removal Guide,” “Rug Forum”, “Question and Answer” section, and hundreds of pages of original content with high resolution photographs. The company was founded by the two Dilmaghani brothers whose family history in the rug industry can be traced back over a century, originating in Persia.