Luxury brands in the digital age: perceived quality and gender difference

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study examined gender difference in relation to actual luxury consumers’ perceptions of luxury fashion retail website quality associated with customer satisfaction. The total number of respondents was 287 (male = 104; female = 183). A multi-group comparison was conducted to examine how men and women differ in their perceptions of website quality. The results of the study show that similarities and differences exist between male and female luxury consumers’ perceptions of e-luxury service quality. For male luxury consumers, order and delivery management was the only dimension that impacted e-satisfaction. In relation to female consumers, order and delivery management, customer service, personalization, trust, and entertainment value were critical dimensions that influenced e-satisfaction. In accordance with the selectivity hypothesis, the findings of this study imply that male luxury consumers seem to be goal-oriented and pay attention solely to the information that directly assists their purchase. However, female luxury consumers are likely to engage in comprehensive information processing by evaluating a wide-range of service attributes when purchasing luxury fashion goods online. This study provides practical implications to luxury retailers by identifying key dimensions of e-service quality in the context of luxury retailing websites and by examining how men and women luxury consumers perceive the service dimensions differently.