Online customer engagement in the post-pandemic scenario: a hybrid thematic analysis of the luxury fashion industry

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic had a strong impact on all businesses, and especially the luxury sector. As an adaptation strategy, businesses are engaging in a digital transformation, moving all or most of their activities to online platforms. However, the nature of the luxury industry, deeply rooted in exclusivity and a high degree of human contact, is at odds with the mass-oriented, accessible, and automated nature of e-commerce, thus raising concerns about this industry's ability to reap the benefits of digital transformation. The present paper elucidates how luxury fashion firms can overcome this apparent incompatibility with e-commerce and engage with their customers successfully. Through hybrid thematic analysis of qualitative data from YouTube videos of 96 luxury fashion industry experts and using a conceptual model of Customer Engagement, recommendations were developed to help luxury firms improve their current and prospective online customer engagement efforts systematically. By highlighting their top priorities-including innovative solutions, era adaptation, and resource allocation-, luxury firms could enhance and manage customer activities more effectively in the context of a digital transformation, and ultimately establish a strong post-pandemic position.