Confident, exclusive, tasteful and nearly unobtainable; luxury goods are coveted by all-though affordable to few. When you’re establishing yourself as a luxury retailer online, you’d do well to take a page from the Ritz Carlton hotel chain’s playbook. Their motto, “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen,” means they always present a deferential attitude-even while radiating an aura of superiority.
Customer Service Is Paramount
People who can comfortably afford luxury goods see time as their number one asset and will look favorably upon anything you can do to consume less of it. South Korean automaker Hyundai insisted its dealers pick up cars at the homes or offices of clients for service when it launched its Genesis luxury marque. The idea is to save owners the bother of attending to such a menial task.
The luxury buyer deserves (and expects) a superior customer service experience. For your ecommerce site, this means providing perks like free expedited shipping in upscale packaging and a live human being (to whom you should refer as your product ambassador or concierge) on call to handle concerns. It also means a no-questions-asked money back guarantee.
The Selling Environment
The appearance of your site must exude confidence, so eliminate clutter. Employ copious amounts of white space. Present a color scheme based around black, gold and other deeply saturated colors. Choose from among the premium web templates offered by premier platform providers such as Shopify.
Play upon the heritage of your products and use original photography to show them integrated into a luxurious lifestyle. Emphasize the iconic status of your wares and above all-do not sell. Luxury products sell themselves to those who can afford them. All you have to do is present them in a favorable light, while backing them with outstanding service and attention to detail.
Marketing Luxury
Rather than impulse buys, luxury goods are well-considered acquisitions. When establishing yourself as a luxury retailer online, you’ll maximize your narrative around the craftsmanship of your products. You’ll speak of their unique timelessness and how their enduring nature transcends fashion and trends. These factors elevate your products beyond the extraordinary prices they command. And, you’ll reach the buyer’s emotions through their intellect.
The idea is to emphasize the utter singularity of the article. When you position your products as unique, comparisons become moot. This is why Porsche employs the phrase: “There is no substitute.” Its cars are distinct in their pre-eminence. You’ll either get a Porsche, or you’ll get something inferior. Nothing is “close enough.”
As an ecommerce luxury retailer, the trick lies in presenting your offerings with a “matter of fact” approach. Yes, you want people to buy from you, but you have to give them the feeling buying from you is doing themselves a service. For this reason, your communications should be lifestyle oriented rather than overt sales pitches.
You’ll Target Those Who Cannot Afford You
It sounds counter-intuitive, but if you establish yourself as a luxury retailer in the minds of those who cannot afford to buy from you, those who can will enjoy the recognition of their superior status. This means you’ll actually target premium mainstream outlets with your marketing messages-which again, should always reflect a lifestyle rather than overtly sell.
Ultimately, establishing yourself as a luxury retailer means you’ll echo the voice of the products you represent. You will also strive to feature them in a manner unconcerned with profit. Essentially, you’ll present your ecommerce store as “ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”