Digital Marketing Channels in the Chinese Luxury Industry. A Focus on International Brands Post Covid-19

The aim of this paper is to understand the evolution of the digital marketing channels used by international luxury firms in China post Covid-19. Pandemic restrictions limiting international travel led to Chinese luxury consumers shifting consumption to the domestic market, driven by revenge spending behavior. We conducted a qualitative study to investigate the impact of Covid-19 on international luxury fashion firms by collecting 13 semi-structured interviews with key informants operating in the Chinese market. In particular, we focused on the communications and sales channels put in place. While previous studies suggested that the luxury industry had been slow to adopt e-commerce, our findings show that in China, luxury firms have moved to a more mature adoption of digital channels based on innovative technologies that enhance store experience and personalization. We attempt to contribute to the international luxury marketing literature which focused primarily on Western markets, by analyzing the increasing Chinese luxury market. Moreover, we provide managerial insights for international luxury firms challenged by the changed scenario.