Affluent consumers want luxury brand mobile apps

The study, titled “Mobile Apps and Commerce for Luxury Brands”, found that affluent consumers feel better connected to luxury brands after using their mobile apps (71%), have had good experiences (93%) and view those luxury brands more favorably than those that don’t have a mobile app (64%).

The most frequently downloaded apps by affluent Americans are Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Saks Fifth Avenue and Gilt Groupe. Only two – Saks and Gilt Groupe – support purchasing direct from the mobile app.

Nearly three-quarters of affluent consumers said there is no monetary limit to what they would spend via a mobile app.

Over half (56%) use apps to find out more about a product or brand but 45% still prefer to make purchases in-store as they enjoy the experience.

Mobile app features that are popular with affluent consumers include in-store inventory, cross-store sizing and availability, product details, loyalty program information, and exclusive or early access to sales and promotions.

Sixty-percent of affluent consumers own a smartphone compared with 48% of the general population and mobile shopping is the second most-popular activity they conduct on their devices.

“Luxury brands must acknowledge the impact of technology advancements in the mobile space and find a humanistic way to connect and engage with their consumers through mobile,” said Milton Pedraza, CEO of Luxury Institute.

A short video detailing some of the study findings can be viewed online.