Challenges small business websites face when selling luxury brands

Small businesses face many challenges when selling online, especially those operating in the luxury market. It can be tricky to find the right way to communicate a sense of luxury and encourage people to invest simply through a website. 

Before even landing on a company’s website, there is already a certain expectation when selling luxury brands; people expect more. Consumers expect a luxurious, personalised shopping experience that almost feels exclusive. This can be the justifying factor for spending such a large amount of money and why they should choose you over competitors.  

The internet is open to anyone and everyone, but this doesn’t mean a one-size-fits all approach will work when selling luxury brands.    

First impressions 

When you step into a luxury store, you’re usually greeted with a friendly staff member asking if you’d like any help, there might be inviting smells or special lighting that all help to form a first impression. The question is, how can you achieve this same first impression online? This is where the power of design comes in. Luxury needs to be communicated in a way that suits the brand as well as being functional for the user. Our client Diss Ironworks is a great example of this, selling luxury homeware goods, from Le Creuset to Aga and Big Green Egg. By opting for minimalistic colours, a clean-cut design and clear product layout they were able to overcome the challenge of creating a good first impression, whilst still offering a clear user journey. People are precious about their homes so how they first see the products online needs to be up to standard. This is where imagery is also crucial, making sure all images are of high quality and accurately depict the real life product. So show those angles and don’t forget the detail shots too!

Personalised experience 

Personalisation is a major aspect when selling high-end products. Without a physical shop this could be seen as a challenge but the key is to translate a personalised shopping experience on the website. But how do you do this? A clear layout and the ability to filter products are great ways to give consumers control and customise their own user journey. It’s all about providing a tailored experience. Consumers want to find what they’re looking for as fast as possible, otherwise they’ll just leave the site. 

Another way to prevent this is relevant product recommendations. Allowing the user to easily navigate to other products in as little clicks as possible, whilst receiving personalised recommendations.  

Gaining trust 

Communicating that your business is established is important in the luxury market. People want to feel confident that you know what you’re talking about and that they can trust you. Take our client Diss Ironworks again for example, who are a family run company celebrating their 100 year anniversary next year. This will certainly be something to communicate on the website, not only in celebration of their heritage but also to strengthen the trust aspect with consumers. Running for 100 years is definitely something to shout about! 

Do these challenges sound familiar? If you’re struggling to overcome them we can help you! With our expertise in web design and digital marketing we can make sure your website is top-notch and these challenges will become a distant memory of the past. Give us a call on 01603 859007 or email us at hello@nuimage.co.uk for a discussion on how we can help you.