關於線上精品

Abstract

Luxury is a fascinating yet controversial concept, attracting consumers for its aura of exclusivity and generating billions of dollars even in times of deep economic recession. Nowadays, the luxury world is changing to face up new global challenges and consumers’ needs. One of these is represented by the Internet, which –as a concept, is opposite to that of luxury: everything for everyone, anytime and anywhere. This study is aimed at exploring the relationships between the luxury goods industry and the e-commerce platform in Taiwan. The choice of Taiwan follows two considerations: although its small dimension, Taiwan can boast a consistent luxury consumers base, as well as an active and luxury-oriented population. Furthermore, it is a unique location in terms of cutting-edge technology and infrastructure. A sample of four luxury brands (Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach, and Tod’s) was selected as representative of both up-market and premium luxury markets. Their strategies to create value were analyzed, as well as their current use of the Internet for marketing/e-commerce purposes. The choice of these four brands follows considerations on their diffusion among Taiwanese consumers and their country of origin. Taiwanese luxury consumers’ behavior has been analyzed in order to understand their proneness toward purchasing luxury goods online. Consumers were divided into two categories, based on their expenditure, orientation toward luxury, and brand awareness. Eventually, it has been found that Taiwanese consumers are price sensitive regardless their belonging to a higher or lower social and financial status. Furthermore, a huge segment of consumers would be likely to purchase luxury goods online, following considerations about convenience and customization. However, the probabilities to purchase luxuries online are lower when price and prestige of the item increases. Finally, a series of implications for management and academic research is provided as well.