There is a highly discussed opinion that the typical luxury customer is not an ordinary online shopper and tends to purchase clothes and accessories in real stores. From my point of view, such a prejudice might be obsolete. A considerable number of customers appreciate the opportunity to observe a particular garment and fit it before paying, as well as high-standard services in boutiques. According to Schmidt et al. (2015), who explored the demand in key online luxury markets, namely the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, there is an increasing tendency for online shopping in this segment. As well as other customers, some wealthy clients positively assess the possibility of saving time and money. Therefore, there are both people, who highly appreciate the process of offline shopping, and clients, who predominantly stick to purchasing clothes via websites.
Online trading appears to be significantly beneficial for promoting the brand. However, it may have negative consequences, such as becoming overexposed or losing its crucial attraction-exclusivity (Hameide, 2011). The Michael Kors case may appear to be an illustrative example of such an occasion. This brand has become too ubiquitous, its branches cover a wide range of locations from boutiques to outlet stores. Although such a growth supplies a significant revenue at the first stage, such popularity damages the cache considerably. After some time, the overexposure caused the decline of sales, as customers are not willing to pay a large sum of money for a bag, which can later be sold for half of the price. In addition, such a sequence of events causes the loss of exclusivity, which also prevents clients from sticking to this brand.
The high price tag may have a significant impact on the customer’s choice while shopping online in case they attach particular importance to the item’s quality and packaging. Furthermore, such clients may be extremely fond of brands, design clothes, and fashion in general. As for me, it is not an issue, as I do not enjoy spending considerable sums of money on clothing. I am not interested in fashion to such an extent as to buy pricey products.
References
Hameide, K. (2011). Fashion branding unraveled. Fairchild Books.
Schmidt, J., Dörner, K., Berg A., Schumacher, T., & Bockholdt K. (2015). The opportunity in online luxury fashion. McKinsey & Company. Web.