Lux Customers
In the aftermath of COVID-19 restrictions, even luxury brands have ventured into the world of e-commerce.
Many leading brands are taking the best of their existing bricks-and-mortar customer service and applying that to enhance their online offerings — as well as using digital tools to enhance the in-store experience.
Drivers of luxury shopping
Beautiful middle age woman working in jewelry store. She holding and showing expensive watch to male buyer.
The luxury shopper of yesterday embraced conspicuous consumption and fashion, often incorporating a brand’s name overtly into its design.
Today, a company’s commitment to sustainability and social awareness are more important to the new generation of these shoppers than a particular brand name.
However, one thing has remained the same: Luxury doesn’t have to be rational. It can be pure fun with little or no practicality.
Luxury shoppers tend to make a purchase to make themselves or others feel good, rather than because they require the item.
Their purchases can be impulsive or for gift-giving; a Deloitte study found that 20.5% of millennials bought a high-end item for a particular occasion and 18.5% bought one as a “treat.”
Take the Louis Vuitton skate shoe for instance – or the diamond and ruby studded Victoria’s Secret bra. How could any data support creating such items? But even if only a handful are ever produced — that rarity is part of what makes them luxurious.
Luxury is about a vision that totally transcends data.
Luxury omnichannel experiences
Attractive young woman jewelry store clerc smiling talking to her customer helping her choosing items.
Luxury is fantastic at cultivating extraordinary customer experiences beyond the product and making people feel good about their purchases.
With COVID, many luxury retailers began selling online for the first time in their history. Luxury has sat out from the ecommerce game for years, since a major part of what makes a luxury experience luxurious is the personal, human touch that surrounds the client with readiness to anticipate and exceed expectations.
Now, with nearly two years of online selling under their hand-crafted cowhide belts, luxury retailers are applying their creativity in reinventing digital experiences both online and in-store.
Bootmaker and Retail Pro user Lucchese is an example of a luxury brand offering clienteling online to replicate the personal nature of in-person shopping.
The company offers chat – “live shopping” – that enables a customer to connect with an in-store associate for virtual personal shopping, fit advice and style recommendations.
For a shoemaker that makes every pair by hand, having one-on-one help helps ease concerns, particularly about fit.
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Retail Pro technology for a personal touch
To a large degree, success will be dependent on luxury brands taking the opportunity to extend the personal touch to both the online and in-store experiences, based on previous interactions and reflecting the quality of interaction their high-profile customers experience in-store.
It’s omnichannel taken to the next level: Offering that personal touch regardless of where the purchase is made.
In this arena, there’s a valuable opportunity to use technology to recognize enthusiasts and online customers when they come to pick up or tailor their online luxury purchase in-store, and provide exemplary service that’s personalized, relevant and unique.
As much as customer engagement strategy differs between brands, one thing is consistent across the board: the POS is still the one thing that never fails to bring sales associate and customer together.
And last impressions matter.
Using Retail Pro Prism on mobile devices frees your sales associates from the cash wrap so they can more meaningfully engage with shoppers on your sales floor and learn about them.
There is no better way to personalize a customer’s experience than by actually getting personal and asking questions. What are they looking for? What’s the occasion? Can we help you find something to go along with the item you’re trying on?
That kind of human connection through clienteling makes customers feel like they’re shopping with a friend, and it builds emotional attachment to a luxury brand.
Clienteling data not only enhances the shopping experience for those in physical stores but is also used by associates to reach out to customers between visits.
Associates with access to customers’ spouses’ birthdates, for example, might place a well-timed call detailing the latest merchandise that would make a great gift.
Such focused, one-to-one outreach is extraordinarily effective in attracting high-value customers.
Transforming your luxury in-store experience? Let’s talk.
Request a consultation with an Authorized Retail Pro Business Partner in your region or watch a brief demo of Retail Pro Prism today to see how you can transform the luxury experience in-store with omnichannel operations built on with Retail Pro Prism.
