Digital Experience in the luxury sector: 8 best practices to meet the expectations of millennials

Luxury brands now need to offer a modern digital experience, both online (e-commerce and social media) and in physical stores, while preserving their brand image. Ultimately, the main aim is to offer a seamless, unique and innovative experience. Do experiences currently offered by luxury brands meet these requirements?

The digital revolution of recent years has profoundly changed the behaviour of consumers in three areas: 

  • Geography: internationalisation of the customer base; 
  • Society: changes in consumption modes (such as multi-device purchases); 
  • Time: modification of the relationship with time (need for instantaneity).

LUXURY AND THE ADVENT OF THE MILLENNIALS

According to the study 'Luxe & Millennials' conducted by the firm DISKO (2018), millennials represent nearly half of luxury goods consumers. However, according to them, 74% of luxury brands do not meet their expectations in terms of digital services.  These expectations are characteristic of a generation that has grown up and evolved with the technologies we now use on a daily basis. Put simply, these consumption expectations can be summed up with the phrase: "anytime, anywhere, any device". 

 

Below is a list (incomplete) of best practices we have identified to meet these expectations. 

BEST PRACTICES FOR A SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL EXPERIENCE IN LUXURY: 

  1. Provide an omnichannel experience, in which technological innovations bring novelty. 
  2. Offer limited editions and instant purchases on?social networks.
  3. Make points of sale more attractive with meetings and events available online (e.g. Live and replay of workshops,?Today at Apple).
  4. Make sure your digital communication is consistent with events and commercial activities at points of sale. 
  5. Offer web-to-store AND store-to-web. 
  6. Rethink the role of sales advisers in order to position them as digital communication intermediaries with your customers (the sales adviser becomes a mini-influencer, who manages a customer portfolio like a community). 
  7. Ensure aesthetic consistency of points of sale, between digital tools (sales staff tablets, screens, etc.) and the image of the store. 
  8. Pay attention to the legal and cultural environment: relationships with technology vary from market to market.

Lastly, beware of the "gadget effect": digital is only an asset when it serves the customer experience.