Luxury Brands Enter the Online Market

Due to the craftsmanship and excellence of their products, for a long time, luxury firms were reluctant to approach the online market; only recently, after focusing more and more on global markets, have they understood that the web and digital technologies are an efficient way to achieve a global presence. The aim of this chapter has been to analyse the relevance of the internet environment in managing consumer relations from a corporate perspective. Carrying out a research design based on multiple case studies, findings have indicated that digital technologies provide luxury firms with many competitive advantages and suggest that luxury firms should invest in developing an appealing digital presence to improve their global brand positioning, attract new customers and disseminate the values of the brand identity. Thus, the challenge for luxury firms is in harnessing digital strategies and media to promote their brand while still safeguarding the sense of exclusivity.