Moving luxury brands online: dose website design play a role?

Authors

Kathy Ning Shen, University of Wollongong in DubaiFollow
Prakash Vel, University of Wollongong in DubaiFollow
Mohamed Khalifa, University of Wollongong in DubaiFollow

RIS ID

76528

Publication Details

Shen, K., Vel, P. & Khalifa, M. 2013, 'Moving luxury brands online: dose website design play a role?', Advances in Business-Related Scientific Research Conference, GEA College, Italy,

Abstract

A great challenge for luxury marketers is how to harness the Internet's incredible reach to and influence on customers while still maintaining and adhering the customer-based brand equity (CBE) of luxury brands. This study aims to investigate the effect of website design on the CBE of luxury brands. Particularly, we will develop and empirically validate a research model, specifying that two aesthetic design dimensions (aesthetic formality and aesthetic appeal) will stimulate a strong sense of luxury which in turn leads to a positive evaluation of the CBE. Furthermore, the effect of aesthetic design on sense of luxury is contingent upon brand familiarity prior to the exposure of a luxury brand website. The research model was validated with 201 participants. Only aesthetic appeal was significantly related to the sense of luxury of a brand and such an effect was weakened when consumers were more familiar with the brand.