The Internet: The Playground of the Rich and Famous

A recent Online Spin commentary from Seane Mulcahy makes note of the fact that high-end brands do a very poor job online. That may or may not be true (frankly, I don't spend a lot of time at the websites of the luxury goods manufacturers.) What I found most interesting about the piece were the facts on affluent online users. (hey, if you have to ask who the affluent are, you're not them).

Did you know...

Affluent shoppers are much more likely to turn to the Internet.

Affluent households continuously upgrade the computer equipment and engage in a range of "interactive" online activities, such as downloading music and video games.

Affluent households spend more money on entertainment than most other households combined.

OK, that might seem obvious -- after all, they're the ones with the money, right? Of course they're spending it :) The point here though is that the affluent tend toward more engagist activities, whether it's online interactions in shopping or leisure activities.

Perhaps most important, one of the key components of promoting a high end brand with affluent consumers is creating a customer culture or community. Successful high-end brands tend to focus on a customer-centric approach. While most of this customer focus has occured offline in the past, it's clear that these brands need to start moving these activities online to be successful. After all, that's where their customers are!