• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, December 26, 2014

Luxury brands lose 50% of their top customers annually because they routinely misidentify their demographic and economic profile while also failing to create a personalized sales experience for them, according to new research from global marketing and crm agency Epsilon and research and consulting firm The Luxury Institute.

Epsilon analyzed and compared 30,000 luxury shoppers to uncover insights, myths and stereotypes of the luxury shopper, the firm said.

According to the findings, luxury brands mistakenly believe their customers are typically female and on average 45-years old with a net worth over $1 million. However, 57.5% of luxury spenders are in fact male. They are likely to be of Asian and Middle-Eastern descent with a net worth over $500,000. In addition, nearly 13.8% of shoppers with a net worth over $1 million invest mostly in modern, contemporary decor and gifts as opposed to high-ticket apparel items.

“Luxury brands need to truly understand who their customers are and what they are looking for in a luxe shopping experience,” said Jean-Yves Sabot, vice president, retail business development at Epsilon. “This is critical in creating a personalized experience for the customer that drives engagement, retention and satisfaction.”

The report categorizes luxury shoppers into four groups including the so-called “True Luxe” shopper who has the means to purchase luxury items at will without financial concern. But there is also the “Aspirational Shopper,” described as shoppers who “desire to own pieces from a brand, but may not have the means to do so on a regular basis.”

Another group is labeled “Moments of Wealth,” comprised of shoppers that may save for specific piece but do not purchase from the brand frequently. And the “Dressed for the Part” group buys luxury items to give the appearance of someone who lives a luxury lifestyle but often does not have the financial resources to be a true luxury buyer.

The study also found that online shopping accounts for less than a quarter of sales for multichannel luxury retail brands, because these consumers typically want to see and touch the product. While 98% of luxury shoppers use the Internet regularly, more than 50% of the time they are researching products and comparing prices on their mobile devices.

Luxury shoppers “crave the experience of the brand and look for a VIP interaction,”  according to the report.

Recommendations include using insights to tailor marketing communication to the optimal targets for more personalized and relevant communication. Luxury brands also need to do a better job of leveraging external shopper behavior for true one-on-one interaction both in-store and online, the report surmises. They also need to get a complete picture of their consumer target set. Third-party data will help. More on the report can be found here.