Consumers who shop in the luxury retail sector may expect more from online retailers in terms of shopping experience, ecommerce software and point of sale offerings, among other factors. A recent McKinsey survey looked into trends among this consumer demographic in the study "Digital Luxury Experience: Keeping up with Changing Customers."

The report revealed that online "window shopping" influences purchase decisions for more than 45 percent of luxury consumers, and researchers indicated this trend will continue to increase in coming months and years.

"Most shoppers may remain reluctant to purchase more expensive and custom products online, preferring to see them and touch them first," wrote McKinsey analysts, "but many will compare product features and prices online before settling on one to buy and choosing a retailer."

The researchers found that roughly three-fourths of luxury shoppers own smartphones and half own tablets, making it important for retailers to develop a streamlined omnichannel experience that can take users from their smartphones to their PCs to brick-and-mortar stores. For instance, allowing shoppers to add items to their digital shopping cart via a mobile device and having the selection ready for in-store pickup could give retailers an advantage in securing luxury sales.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, April 9th, 2014 at 11:45 am .