With the advent of e-commerce and online stores for twenty years now, buying on the internet is no longer a new act. From now on, you can find everything there: clothing, beauty products or even medicines.
Moreover, for some time now, even the luxury industry has increasingly been adapting to the digital world, including on Shopify where many shops have taken the plunge. How did this adoption of e-commerce by luxury brands come about? What changes would be expected?
A reluctance that lasted several years
While e-commerce has been around for 20 years now, luxury only made its entrance very recently. Indeed, major brands have always expressed a certain reluctance to adopt e-commerce for several reasons. Non-exclusivity, accessibility and prices within everyone's reach, these are the values that e-commerce advocates. This is not at all the case of Luxury, which stands out for its rarity, exclusivity and dominant brand image. Thus, for several years, the values of luxury have not been consistent with the concept of online sales.
In addition to these e-commerce statures that the world of luxury has not really integrated, the fear of big brands is also based on counterfeiting. The latter affects not only the economic benefits but also the very image of the copied brand. Indeed, counterfeits can sometimes be numerous on certain e-commerce sites that consumers no longer recognize the authentic and the counterfeit. Counterfeit products could then tarnish the image of a luxury product and make Internet users believe that it is a poor quality brand.
It took several years for luxury companies to accept that e-commerce does not rhyme with low-end. That despite the counterfeits that are spreading on the web, it is quite possible for luxury to find its place and maintain its brand image. The most important thing is to offer customers a shopping experience worthy of the brand, and therefore to choose a good e-commerce solution, and as satisfying as in a physical store.
Moreover, with the scale of e-commerce, luxury brands no longer really have a choice. To follow the evolution of the current world and especially to catch up with their delay in digitalization, many luxury companies are adopting online marketing.
Luxury is catching up very quickly
Luxury is certainly one of the last sectors to enter the world of e-commerce. Indeed, after hesitating for a long time, luxury brands have gradually adopted Internet sales and have developed their E-commerce skills upwards. Clothing, jewelry or accessories, all the major brands have followed the trend. Despite the presence of counterfeits on the Internet, companies believe that the best way to stand out is to beat them in this territory. The basis of success is based on an effective and neat presence on the Internet as well as the maintenance of the brand image.
Among the biggest companies to have taken the plunge, we find the house of Louis Vuitton. Many of them are now taking care of their image on the web and personalizing their offers in order to convince Internet users with the help of their E-commerce agency . However, the interest of luxury brands in e-commerce does not mean that they neglect physical stores. Rather, it is about maximizing sales by combining the strengths of online stores and stores.
But Luxury is also about small craftsmen like the Dognin house , which is taking advantage of e-commerce to conquer the world with the help of Shopify! And yes, who said that E-commerce was reserved for the big luxury brands?
The strategy adopted by luxury brands is based on an ultra-satisfactory shopping experience but also a quality service adapted to even the most demanding customers. In the world of luxury and e-commerce, quality service is reflected in reactive responses on social networks but also on the label's official websites. Thus, it is very important to take care of the image of the brand with excellent customer support. For its part, the Gucci house, for example, allows its customers and Internet users to speak directly to a customer advisor by instant chat on its e-commerce site. Other companies offer customers advice over the phone, which is highly appreciated by some consumers. Thus, the luxury sector has not taken into account its backwardness and has quickly found a place in the world of e-commerce.
Luxury and e-commerce, an unexpected complicity
If the big brands have long been convinced of the incompatibility of luxury and e-commerce, everything has changed today. With the quality of services offered by companies, e-commerce now constitutes an important part of their market. In addition, the health crisis that raged around the world in 2019 allowed companies to resume their activities very quickly thanks to e-commerce. In order to keep their image intact, they must always stand out on the Internet. It's about offering a memorable experience for the customer, seducing them with a creative vision and transforming a simple visitor into a potential buyer.
With e-commerce, luxury brands are now trying to consider their customers' expectations and optimize the shopping experience of Internet users. For their part, consumers are becoming more and more demanding and want to see and buy in a few clicks. And even the luxury sector is affected by this trend. Even if e-commerce offers accessibility to luxury products, they retain their charm and quality at the same time.
Companies are therefore taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital world. Many brands like Chanel, Prada offer “One-to-One” appointments to privileged customers. To exploit digital, the luxury brand Chanel has aligned itself with a Korean application to allow its consumers in South Korea to easily find a whole selection of Chanel products. Thus, customers are delighted to have access to their favorite products. This allows the brand to optimize its sales and to be present everywhere and at all times for its customers.
An incredible change in the luxury sector
Luxury brands have never been so interested in development and technology as they are today. With new generations of consumers, expectations are growing. Luxury goods customers seek perfection, creativity and even eco-responsibility from big brands. To integrate e-commerce into their development plan, companies like Chanel or Gucci invest in the digitization of their physical stores even if the estimate of a luxury merchant site is much higher than that of a classic site. .
In order to flourish with e-commerce, Luxury must work on its differences, exploit its charm and find new inspirations to make the hearts of its customers beat faster. This experience will make them want to get a ceremonial dress, a handbag or a pair of shoes at first sight. Then, in a few clicks, the sale is concluded, everything is won for the customer as well as for the brand.
But again, e-commerce is not just a sales channel for Luxury. Indeed, following the health crisis caused by the pandemic, Luxury is one of the categories of companies to benefit from an increase in performance. It is therefore a sales sector that must be fully exploited and on which brands can make enormous profits. In addition to adapting their offers and services to e-consumers, they will have to keep important values such as exclusivity and top of the range. The most demanding customers and sometimes even VIPs for certain brands require special attention and treatment. This requires experience and human resources even behind e-commerce sites.
Luxury, an important presence in China
The Chinese market represents an important part of the turnover of luxury brands. Indeed, Chinese consumers greatly influence the performance of these companies. Considering the fact that the Chinese are followers of e-commerce, luxury brands have decided to exploit this market. It is not only about optimizing the presence on social networks but also about working with Chinese influencers to reach an even wider audience.
To continue to keep its place of prestige with e-commerce, luxury brands must always offer quality beyond the average, whether in terms of services or products. As the Chinese are the most important consumers, luxury brands must consider them at all times to continue to impose their branding at the risk of being overtaken.
In addition, it is estimated that the new generation will be even more connected and will be just as attracted to luxury. Thus, following the evolution of e-commerce has become, for luxury companies, more than a trend to adopt. It is now an ideal to achieve in order to seduce and restore the image of the brand.
And of course, like any other field, luxury has to adapt to the changing world with digitalization and technology that continues day after day. For luxury to retain its value, the unique shopping experience and personalization will need to persist in the sales process. This involves considering the customer, his behavior and any purchases on the site. Having a special knowledge of consumers is one of the important advantages of e-commerce. This can further reinforce the uniqueness of Luxury.
