Best Practices in Omnichannel Customer Experience Design for Luxury Retail Consumers

Abstract

This thesis will investigate how luxury brands create a unique shopping experience through omnichannel integration. With continuous improvements in technology, consumers have a variety of ways to view products and complete transactions. These omnichannel offerings provide shoppers with a seamless retail experience. However, tension arises when luxury brands try to implement omnichannel strategies. This is because omnichannel typically increases brand availability, or the perception of it (Kapferer et. al. 2012). The focus of this thesis will be on three brands: Burberry, Hermès, and Chanel and how they utilize omnichannel integration to enhance the shopping experience all while trying to maintain a certain level of exclusivity. A unique framework is utilized to analyze their strategies, investigating whether their omnichannel initiatives enhance the dream factor or facilitate sales.