While the global market for luxury

While the global market for luxury brands faced a temporary decline of 8% in sales revenues to 153 billion Euros in 2009 (Bain & Company, 2009), the recent downturn in economy did not affect the big names of the luxury brands industry. Brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and Chanel increased their sales despite the recession (Forbes, 2009). As compared to the general downturn of sales of up to 31% in 2009, the sales decline of luxury brands is comparably low (Handelsblatt, 2010). Analysts base their reasoning on the growing claim for luxury brands in emerging markets and on the crisis-proof demand in Western nations. Interestingly, the demand for prominent logos on products has remained stable or even increased during the recession (Nunes, Drèze, & Han, 2010).

Brand consumption, and specifically luxury brand consumption, allows consumers both to express themselves (i.e., value-expressive function) and to present themselves (i.e., social-adjustive function) in front of others (e.g., Dubois and Duquesne, 1993 and Wilcox et al., 2009). Grossman and Shapiro (1988) define luxury goods as goods that people use to show prestige and status while the difference in functional utility over other goods is largely negligible. A luxury brand can be thought of as “the most selective in its distribution; the most image-driven; … and the most expensive” (Kapferer and Bastien, 2009, p. 313). The perceived degree of luxury, however, varies with product category. A luxury brand may be, for instance, associated with the higher end of luxury in one product category, and with the lower end of luxury in another product category (Vigneron & Johnson, 2004). As an example, consumers might perceive Burberry more as a luxury brand for apparel and leather goods than for perfumes. Premium pricing strategies as well as strong quality cues are among the most important defining characteristics of luxury brands (Keller, 2009). Interestingly, prices for female luxury brands are in most cases significantly higher than for male luxury brands. As Table 1 shows, a Boss Black suit for men costs around 400 Euros (retail prices in the German market), while that for women costs around 510 Euros, a difference of more than 25%. Table 1 shows additional examples in the product domains of perfumes, leather goods, and watches that show a similar pattern. The market, however, also provides (a few) examples of brands (e.g., Rolex watches), where the male product is more expensive than the female product. Nevertheless, the question arises why prices for female luxury brands usually are significantly higher than prices for male luxury brands. Does a gender effect exist?

ผลลัพธ์ (ม้ง) 1:

Thaum lub ntiaj teb no ua lag luam rau cov hom khoom kim heev muag ib ib ntus poob muag cov nyiaj tau los rau 153 kuj Euros 8% nyob rau 2009 (Bain & lag, 2009), cov downturn hauv economy tsis ntev los no puas tau tsis muaj feem xyuam rau lub npe loj ntawm txoj kev lag luam hom khoom kim heev. Hom Louis Vuitton, Hermès, thiab Chanel ntau zog lawv muag khoom txawm txav (Forbes, 2009). As compared to txoj kev downturn kev muag khoom mus txog 31% nyob rau 2009, qhov muag poob khoom kim heev hom yog tsawg comparably (Handelsblatt, 2010). Analysts pib tau lawv txoj kev xav rau qhov thov rau kev hom khoom kim heev nyob rau tej qho ciaj uas muag pheej loj thiab lub ntsoog-cov pov thawj xav tau nyob rau Western tiag. Interestingly, qhov kev thov rau mas logos rau cov khoom uas muaj tseem nyob ruaj khov los yog tseem muaj zog thaum txav (Nunes, Drèze, & Han, 2010).Brand consumption, and specifically luxury brand consumption, allows consumers both to express themselves (i.e., value-expressive function) and to present themselves (i.e., social-adjustive function) in front of others (e.g., Dubois and Duquesne, 1993 and Wilcox et al., 2009). Grossman and Shapiro (1988) define luxury goods as goods that people use to show prestige and status while the difference in functional utility over other goods is largely negligible. A luxury brand can be thought of as “the most selective in its distribution; the most image-driven; … and the most expensive” (Kapferer and Bastien, 2009, p. 313). The perceived degree of luxury, however, varies with product category. A luxury brand may be, for instance, associated with the higher end of luxury in one product category, and with the lower end of luxury in another product category (Vigneron & Johnson, 2004). As an example, consumers might perceive Burberry more as a luxury brand for apparel and leather goods than for perfumes. Premium pricing strategies as well as strong quality cues are among the most important defining characteristics of luxury brands (Keller, 2009). Interestingly, prices for female luxury brands are in most cases significantly higher than for male luxury brands. As Table 1 shows, a Boss Black suit for men costs around 400 Euros (retail prices in the German market), while that for women costs around 510 Euros, a difference of more than 25%. Table 1 shows additional examples in the product domains of perfumes, leather goods, and watches that show a similar pattern. The market, however, also provides (a few) examples of brands (e.g., Rolex watches), where the male product is more expensive than the female product. Nevertheless, the question arises why prices for female luxury brands usually are significantly higher than prices for male luxury brands. Does a gender effect exist?

ผลลัพธ์ (ม้ง) 2:

Thaum lub sij hawm lub ntiaj teb no kev ua lag luam rau cov khoom kim heev hom ntsib ib ntus poob ntawm 8% nyob rau hauv kev muag khoom cov nyiaj tau los rau 153 billion Euros nyob rau hauv 2009 (Bain & Company, 2009), tsis ntev los no nyob rau hauv kev khwv nyiaj txiag downturn tsis cuam tshuam rau cov loj npe ntawm cov khoom kim heev hom kev lag luam. Hom xws li Louis Vuitton, Hermes, thiab Chanel nce lawv muag txawm lub caij txom nyem (Forbes, 2009). Raws li muab piv rau cov downturn ntawm kev muag khoom ntawm mus txog 31% nyob rau hauv 2009, qhov muag poob ntawm khoom kim heev hom yog ho tsawg (Handelsblatt, 2010). Kws tshuaj ntsuam pib lawv ua rau lub loj hlob thov rau cov khoom kim heev hom nyob rau tej qho ciaj uas muag thiab nyob rau lub ntsoog-ntawv pov thawj kev thov nyob rau hauv Western teb chaws. Interestingly, qhov kev thov rau mas logos rau cov khoom tau yuav ruaj khov los yog txawm nce thaum lub sij hawm lub caij txom nyem (Nunes, Drèze, & Han, 2010). Hom noj, thiab uas cov khoom kim heev hom noj, pub tau txais kev pab ob leeg mus qhia lawv tus kheej (xws li, nqi-expressive muaj nuj nqi) thiab los qhia lawv tus kheej (xws li, kev adjustive muaj nuj nqi) nyob rau hauv pem hauv ntej ntawm lwm tus neeg (piv txwv li, Dubois thiab Duquesne, 1993 thiab Wilcox li al., 2009). Grossman thiab Shapiro (1988) txhais cov khoom kim heev cov khoom raws li cov khoom uas tus neeg siv los qhia hwj chim thiab txoj cai thaum lub sij hawm sib txawv nyob rau hauv tej nqi hluav taws xob dhau lwm yam khoom yog lom zem ntau negligible. Ib tug nplua nuj hom yuav xav txog li "cov feem ntau xim nyob rau hauv nws muab faib rau; cov feem ntau daim duab-tsav; ... Thiab lub kim tshaj plaws "(Kapferer thiab Bastien, 2009, p. 313). Lub ntaus nqi degree ntawm cov khoom kim heev, tab sis, nws txawv nrog cov khoom qeb. Ib tug nplua nuj hom tej zaum yuav, rau Piv txwv li, txuam nrog rau ntau kawg ntawm cov khoom kim heev nyob rau hauv ib yam khoom qeb, thiab nrog lub qis kawg ntawm cov khoom kim heev nyob rau hauv lwm yam khoom qeb (Vigneron & Johnson, 2004). Raws li ib qho piv txwv, tau txais kev pab tej zaum yuav perceive Burberry ntau raws li ib tug khoom kim heev hom rau rau apparel thiab tawv khoom tshaj rau perfumes. Hwm nqi tswv yim zoo li raws li muaj zog zoo cues yog cov tseem ceeb tshaj plaws defining yam ntxwv ntawm cov khoom kim heev hom (Keller, 2009). Interestingly, nqi rau cov poj niam khoom kim heev hom yog nyob rau hauv Feem ntau ho siab tshaj rau cov txiv neej nplua nuj hom. Raws li Rooj 1 shows, ib tug thawj Dub nplua rau cov txiv neej tus nqi ib ncig 400 Euros (khw muag khoom nqi nyob rau hauv lub lag luam German), thaum lub sij hawm uas rau cov poj niam nqi ib ncig ntawm 510 Euros, ib qho txawv ntawm ntau tshaj 25%. Lub rooj 1 qhia tau hais tias ntxiv piv txwv nyob rau hauv cov khoom ntawm thawj perfumes, tawv khoom, thiab ua si uas qhia ib tug uas zoo sib xws qauv. Kev ua lag luam, txawm li ntawd los, kuj muaj (ib ob peb) piv txwv ntawm hom (piv txwv li, Rolex ua si), nyob qhov twg cov txiv neej cov khoom no yog kim kim tshaj tus poj niam khoom. Cuaj kaum, cov nqe lus nug tshwm sim yog vim li cas tus nqi rau cov poj niam khoom kim heev hom feem ntau yog ho siab tshaj tus nqi rau cov txiv neej nplua nuj hom. Puas muaj ib tug tub los ntxhais ntxim nyob ua ib ke?