While scrolling through quarterly sales data at Fetise.com, an online portal that retails luxury goods for men, senior marketing manager Sidharth Puri stumbled upon an interesting trend. Nearly 18% of customers buying the steeply discounted products on the site were over the age of 50; just three months ago this number was in single digits.
Like Puri, other luxury goods vendors doing business online are unearthing a trend which shows the growing prominence of the older demographic in India's nascent e-commerce industry. Consumers in their late forties and fifties, it is becoming apparent, are turning to the internet lured by the combination of access to global luxury brands, bargain pricing and the convenience of shopping without stirring out of their homes.
Among them is Sudhir Shah, a 55-year-old businessman from Gurgaon who is also a collector of luxury leather accessories. While earlier he would travel overseas to add brands of his choice to his collection, the best brands from around the world are just a mouse-click away for him now. "I can purchase these products online as they come with heavy discounts. I do not have to wait to own my favourite brands, too," said Shah, who logs in at least once every three days to check out the latest offerings.
In the last couple of years, a large number of fashion retail websites such as Fetise, Fashionandyou, 99labels, Brandmile and Privatesales have come into being, offering discounts of up to 80% on top brands including Calvin Klein, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana. They are able to do so with products that have remained unsold at the end of the season but are still fashionable.
So, there are people who have bought Versace shoes priced at Rs 24,000 for Rs 10,600 and a Dolce & Gabbana jacket originally costing Rs 45,000 for Rs 12,375.
Mariane Fernandes, a 52-year-old housewife from Bangalore, said the websites are a boon for aspirational consumers such as her. Her first online purchase, inspired and assisted by her daughter, was a John Galliano handbag that she got at an 80% discount.
Like Puri, other luxury goods vendors doing business online are unearthing a trend which shows the growing prominence of the older demographic in India's nascent e-commerce industry. Consumers in their late forties and fifties, it is becoming apparent, are turning to the internet lured by the combination of access to global luxury brands, bargain pricing and the convenience of shopping without stirring out of their homes.
Among them is Sudhir Shah, a 55-year-old businessman from Gurgaon who is also a collector of luxury leather accessories. While earlier he would travel overseas to add brands of his choice to his collection, the best brands from around the world are just a mouse-click away for him now. "I can purchase these products online as they come with heavy discounts. I do not have to wait to own my favourite brands, too," said Shah, who logs in at least once every three days to check out the latest offerings.
In the last couple of years, a large number of fashion retail websites such as Fetise, Fashionandyou, 99labels, Brandmile and Privatesales have come into being, offering discounts of up to 80% on top brands including Calvin Klein, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana. They are able to do so with products that have remained unsold at the end of the season but are still fashionable.
So, there are people who have bought Versace shoes priced at Rs 24,000 for Rs 10,600 and a Dolce & Gabbana jacket originally costing Rs 45,000 for Rs 12,375.
Mariane Fernandes, a 52-year-old housewife from Bangalore, said the websites are a boon for aspirational consumers such as her. Her first online purchase, inspired and assisted by her daughter, was a John Galliano handbag that she got at an 80% discount.
No comments:
Post a Comment