www.pfscommerce.com Open in urlscan Pro
141.193.213.20  Public Scan

Submitted URL: https://t.sidekickopen87.com/s3t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7kF8bq4WjW1z0rRf59hl3kW7_k2841CX2c7N3KTqC4vdMP1VVmGNB3r2wT0102?te=W3R5hFj4cm2zw...
Effective URL: https://www.pfscommerce.com/blog/24-karat-operations-how-can-luxury-retailers-protect-their-brand-online/
Submission: On September 10 via manual from US — Scanned from DE

Form analysis 2 forms found in the DOM

GET https://www.pfscommerce.com

<form action="https://www.pfscommerce.com" method="get"><label class="screen-reader-text" for="cat">CATEGORIES</label>
  <div class="wpex-select-wrap wpex-cat"><select name="cat" id="cat" class="postform">
      <option value="-1">Select Category</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="338">Age</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="381">Alibaba</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="37">Always On Culture</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="193">Augmented Reality</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="971">Australia</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="99">Automated Technology</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="88">B2B eCommerce</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="90">B2B Marketing</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="588">Baby Boomers</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1184">Back to Campus</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1185">Back to College</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="276">Back to School</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="575">Best Shopping Website</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="316">Big Data</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1491">BPO</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1511">BPO</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1461">Brands</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="205">Brazil</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1008">Brexit</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1266">Brick &amp; Mortar</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="227">Canada</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="218">Cart Abandonment</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="27">Case Studies</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1394">CCPA</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="558">Chatbots</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="134">China</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1336">CloudPick</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="351">Commerce Device Comparison</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="94">Consumer Behavior</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="95">Consumer Expectations</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="275">Consumer Packaged Goods</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1396">Consumer Privacy</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1452">Consumer Research</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="559">Conversational Commerce</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="361">Conversion Optimization</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1438">Coronavirus</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1437">COVID-19</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="19">CPG Industry</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="568">Cross-Border eCommerce</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="149">Customer Care</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1430">customer experience</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="234">Customer Reviews</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="51">Cyber Monday</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="391">Dark Stores</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="104">Delivery</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="22">Demandware</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="339">Demographics</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1485">Digital Flagship</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="457">Digital Payments</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1516">DOM</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="195">E-mail Marketing</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="52">eCommerce</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="346">eCommerce Design</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="98">eCommerce Holiday</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1318">eCommerce Packaging</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="543">eCommerce Technology</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1147">eCommerce Trends</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="189">Emerging Markets</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="25">End2End</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="40">European Services</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1507">Events &amp; Trade Shows</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="366">Expedited Shipping</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="121">Facebook</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1440">Fashion</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="131">Flash Sale Sites</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="888">France</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1401">Fraud</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="28">Fulfillment</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1277">Fulfillment Technology</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1340">Fulfillment-as-a-Service</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1249">GDPR</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="595">Gen X</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="597">Gen Z</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="233">Gender</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="307">Germany</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="760">Global eCommerce Book</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1431">global events</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="249">Green Monday</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1073">Grocery</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1104">Halloween</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1474">Health and Beauty</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1271">High Street</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="375">Hispanic Consumers</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1256">Holiday Readiness</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="197">Holiday Season</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1113">Holiday Shopping</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="521">Import Market</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="190">India</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1510">Infographic</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="34">Interactive Marketing</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="378">Italy</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="270">Japan</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1360">Last Mile Fulfillment</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1426">Legacy</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="35">Live Chat</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1284">Logistics</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="466">Loyalty Programs</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="44">Luxury Brands</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="493">Mexico</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="741">Middle East</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="501">Millennials</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="46">Mobile Commerce</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1517">multi-node</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1369">multilingual</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1389">O2C</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1304">Omni-Channel</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="69">Omni-Channel Commerce</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1354">Omnichannel</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1307">OMS</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1077">Online Grocery</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="689">Online Holiday Projections</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="217">Online Payments</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="311">Online Retail Security</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="108">Online Retail Trends</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="239">Online Sales Tax</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1223">Operations</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1490">Outsourcing</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1465">Peak</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1501">Peak Season 2020 Report</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1280">Peak Week</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1103">Personalization</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1450">PFS Research</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1398">PII</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="224">Pinterest</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1326">Pop-up</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1344">Pop-up DC</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="156">QR Codes</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="546">Replatforming</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="281">Responsive Design</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1413">Retail Regulations</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1345">RetailConnect</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1289">Reverse Logistics</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="191">Russia</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="171">Search Marketing</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="252">Showrooming</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1454">Silent generation</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="305">Singles Day</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="124">Social Commerce</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="647">Social Media Retail</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="870">South Korea</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1168">Subscription Boxes</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="296">Subscription Services</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1439">Supply Chain</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="115">Sustainability</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="169">Tablets</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1378">tariffs</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1260">Technology Innovations</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="49">Trade Show</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="117">Trends</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="152">Twitter</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1">Uncategorized</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="77">United Kingdom</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="176">United States</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="180">Video Commerce</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="161">Viral Content</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="120">Wearable Products</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="184">Web Analytics</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="582">Webby Award</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="450">Western Europe</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1384">white paper</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="1448">Work-from-Home</option>
      <option class="level-0" value="140">Yearly Review</option>
    </select><span class="fa fa-angle-down" aria-hidden="true"></span></div>
</form>

GET https://www.pfscommerce.com/

<form method="get" class="searchform" action="https://www.pfscommerce.com/">
  <label>
    <span class="screen-reader-text">Search</span>
    <input type="search" class="st-default-search-input" name="s" placeholder="Search" autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off" autocapitalize="off">
  </label>
  <button type="submit" class="searchform-submit"><span class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="screen-reader-text">Submit</span></button>
</form>

Text Content

This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve
your website experience and provide more personalized services to you, both on
this website and through other media. To find out more about the cookies we use,
see our Privacy Policy.

We won't track your information when you visit our site. But in order to comply
with your preferences, we'll have to use just one tiny cookie so that you're not
asked to make this choice again.

Accept Decline
skip to Main Content
PFS COVID-19 Response
 * SERVICES
   * Order Fulfillment
     * Returns/Reverse Logistics
     * Transportation Services
     * Value Added Services
   * Customer Service
   * Payment & Fraud
   * Order Management
   * Peak Support
 * INDUSTRIES
   * B2B
   * DTC
   * Verticals
 * PRODUCTS
   * Store Fulfillment
   * Pick Carts
   * Customer Service App
 * ABOUT
   * Overview
   * Clients
   * News & Events
   * Careers
   * Investors
 * BLOG
 * CONTACT
 * | North America
   * Europe
 * Search


Menu


24 KARAT OPERATIONS: HOW CAN LUXURY RETAILERS PROTECT THEIR BRAND ONLINE?

 * April 29, 2021
 * Sara Vaughn

The accelerated focus on digital sales beginning in 2020 has forced luxury
brands to develop new strategies to meet shifting customer expectations. Explore
how luxury retailers can protect their brand in today’s digital-first market by
elevating the DTC experience with 24 karat online operations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As more luxury brands sell direct to consumers online, they are constantly
seeking ways to differentiate the experience and protect their most valuable
asset: their brand. While a luxury brand may intuitively seem valuable,
companies have long known there is real, measurable value in that brand.

In fact, in the increasingly “digital-first” world of commerce, the online
shopping experience may be people’s first or only experience with a brand. For
this reason, luxury brands must take extra steps to assure that every aspect of
the experience meets the standards that shoppers expect (and that the brand
expects of itself).


GREATER EXPECTATIONS

Shoppers come to luxury retailers with expectations of an elevated experience.
Luxury retailers not only have to meet those expectations, but they must do so
on-brand, even more so for a luxury brand’s eCommerce channel. The high-end
boutique experience must translate throughout the shopping, purchasing and
fulfillment process of an online order to protect their brand in the digital
space. 

Regardless of the category of goods sold, the key elements of a luxury shopping
experience are fairly uniform:

 * Delivering on brand ethos: Maintaining a consistent and uniquely appropriate
   brand character through every detail of the shopping experience, from the
   online presentation of the merchandise, to the language and tone used by the
   customer service agents, to the quality and right-sizing of the packaging for
   shipping

 * Inventory optimization: Ensuring maximum availability of merchandise,
   including options like colors and sizes by leveraging fully integrated
   systems that provide real-time inventory visibility across channels

 * Concierge-level support: Providing 24/7 support staffed by knowledgeable
   agents across all channels (chat/phone/email) who are skilled at consultative
   selling, answering very detailed product-specific questions, proposing
   appropriate alternative merchandise if necessary, and pairing additional
   products (i.e. a bracelet to match a necklace)


COMMUNICATION IS KEY

The luxury experience requires a very different dynamic from conventional
customer support operations that are likelier focused on shorter average handle
times and the volume of calls handled versus the service rendered. The luxury
shopping experience is about relationship building or, more accurately, building
on the relationship the shopper already has with the brand. Luxury buyers tend
to be more brand loyal precisely because they are served with consistent
excellence. That excellence should include first call resolution for each
contact.

Great communication doesn’t stop there. Pro-active communication informing
customers of order status needs to go beyond the usual functional emails to
cultivate a relationship with the customer. Those notifications should be highly
personalized, attractive, and tastefully promotional.

Perhaps the most important communication is the delivery of the order itself.
The packaging needs to be premium, with unique brand elements, and with absolute
consistency from one package to the next. Shipping boxes should be sized
proportionately to the items shipped. And each order should arrive with a
personal note or other acknowledgement of the customer’s selection and continued
business.  

To make all this happen—and happen consistently—clear and detailed instructions
need to be communicated to operational staff, and routine oversight of their
implementation should be increased. These instructions assure adherence to brand
guidelines as well as the best possible experience for the customer.


BONUS POINTS

Some other elements of the luxury experience may seem more mundane but, in
context, can feel premium. These include offers like complimentary 2-day
shipping, which adds value without eroding a premium brand positioning.
Including return labels can exude confidence in the merchandise as well as make
the returns process that much more convenient.

Returns and customer dissatisfaction is where the frontline personnel are
saddled with the greatest responsibility for protecting the brand. This includes
diplomatic first-call resolution of disputes, as well as gathering feedback for
manufacturers to improve product quality or features.

At the high end of the spectrum, you’ll find operational details like using
actual white gloves to avoid fingerprints (on items like cosmetics or jewelry,
for example) or cleaning items of the tiniest amount of dust that might have
accumulated during storage.

Such attention to details in the context of luxury shopping is not exceeding
expectations, but simply meeting them. When a luxury brand goes
direct-to-consumer online, it must deliver an ultimate customer-first experience
to protect their brand. It must not only be excellent, but it must be true to
the spirit of the brand.

It’s precisely because these brands hold the customer experience in such high
regard that customers return the sentiment.

Share
Tweet
Share
Pin


SARA VAUGHN

As Director of Business Operations at PFS, Sara manages end-to-end eCommerce
operations for 10 brands, supporting everything form order management to
fulfillment operations to customer care (and everything in between). Throughout
her tenure at PFS she has supported clients across a range of verticals,
including health & beauty, jewelry and luxury brands, giving her a wealth of
industry knowledge.

Related Posts

FLASH SALE SITES – WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2011



CONSUMERS DRIVING LUXURY ECOMMERCE TRENDS


CATEGORIES
CATEGORIES
Select Category Age Alibaba Always On Culture Augmented Reality Australia
Automated Technology B2B eCommerce B2B Marketing Baby Boomers Back to Campus
Back to College Back to School Best Shopping Website Big Data BPO BPO Brands
Brazil Brexit Brick & Mortar Canada Cart Abandonment Case Studies CCPA Chatbots
China CloudPick Commerce Device Comparison Consumer Behavior Consumer
Expectations Consumer Packaged Goods Consumer Privacy Consumer Research
Conversational Commerce Conversion Optimization Coronavirus COVID-19 CPG
Industry Cross-Border eCommerce Customer Care customer experience Customer
Reviews Cyber Monday Dark Stores Delivery Demandware Demographics Digital
Flagship Digital Payments DOM E-mail Marketing eCommerce eCommerce Design
eCommerce Holiday eCommerce Packaging eCommerce Technology eCommerce Trends
Emerging Markets End2End European Services Events & Trade Shows Expedited
Shipping Facebook Fashion Flash Sale Sites France Fraud Fulfillment Fulfillment
Technology Fulfillment-as-a-Service GDPR Gen X Gen Z Gender Germany Global
eCommerce Book global events Green Monday Grocery Halloween Health and Beauty
High Street Hispanic Consumers Holiday Readiness Holiday Season Holiday Shopping
Import Market India Infographic Interactive Marketing Italy Japan Last Mile
Fulfillment Legacy Live Chat Logistics Loyalty Programs Luxury Brands Mexico
Middle East Millennials Mobile Commerce multi-node multilingual O2C Omni-Channel
Omni-Channel Commerce Omnichannel OMS Online Grocery Online Holiday Projections
Online Payments Online Retail Security Online Retail Trends Online Sales Tax
Operations Outsourcing Peak Peak Season 2020 Report Peak Week Personalization
PFS Research PII Pinterest Pop-up Pop-up DC QR Codes Replatforming Responsive
Design Retail Regulations RetailConnect Reverse Logistics Russia Search
Marketing Showrooming Silent generation Singles Day Social Commerce Social Media
Retail South Korea Subscription Boxes Subscription Services Supply Chain
Sustainability Tablets tariffs Technology Innovations Trade Show Trends Twitter
Uncategorized United Kingdom United States Video Commerce Viral Content Wearable
Products Web Analytics Webby Award Western Europe white paper Work-from-Home
Yearly Review
ARCHIVES
ARCHIVES
Select Month September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021
March 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020
August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 February 2020 January 2020
December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April
2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September
2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 February 2018 December 2017
November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May
2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November
2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April
2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October
2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March
2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014
September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014
February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September
2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February
2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August
2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January
2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July
2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011
December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May
2010

  |  © 2021 PFSweb, Inc. All Rights Reserved   |  Privacy Policy   |  Corporate
  |  Corporate Governance





Search
Search Submit


 * SERVICES
   * Order Fulfillment
     * Returns/Reverse Logistics
     * Transportation Services
     * Value Added Services
   * Customer Service
   * Payment & Fraud
   * Order Management
   * Peak Support
 * INDUSTRIES
   * B2B
   * DTC
   * Verticals
 * PRODUCTS
   * Store Fulfillment
   * Pick Carts
   * Customer Service App
 * ABOUT
   * Overview
   * Clients
   * News & Events
   * Careers
   * Investors
 * BLOG
 * CONTACT
 * | North America
   * Europe
 * Search




PRIVACY PREFERENCE CENTER

When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your
browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you,
your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you
expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can
give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to
privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the
different category headings to find out more and change our default settings.
However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site
and the services we are able to offer.
More information
Allow All


MANAGE CONSENT PREFERENCES

FUNCTIONAL COOKIES

Functional Cookies

These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and
personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose
services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some
or all of these services may not function properly.

PERFORMANCE COOKIES

Performance Cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and
improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the
most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All
information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you
do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and
will not be able to monitor its performance.

TARGETING COOKIES

Targeting Cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may
be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you
relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal
information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet
device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted
advertising.

STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES

Always Active
Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched
off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you
which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy
preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block
or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

Confirm My Choices

Back Button

Back


PERFORMANCE COOKIES



Vendor Search Search Icon Filter Icon


Clear Filters

Information storage and access
Apply
Consent Leg.Interest

All Consent Allowed

Select All Vendors
Select All Vendors
All Consent Allowed

Confirm My Choices


By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your
device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our
marketing efforts. Privacy Policy

Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies