What does luxury mean to consumers today? Well, answers to that question continue to change in a fluctuating landscape.

Recent studies from Morning Consult Intelligence brand tracker put some consumer sentiments into perspective in terms of luxury.

Quality was the one key theme that dominated all luxury categories including retail products, food and beverages, and travel. In fact, for 75% of the ~2,200 US consumers surveyed, product quality, more than cost, was the defining attribute of luxury retail purchases.

“When consumers are defining what luxury means to them for travel, cost actually came in at the very last of all the options we gave people when they’re asked, ‘What does luxury actually mean?’” Claire Tassin, retail and e-commerce analyst at Morning Consult, who authored the reports, told Retail Brew.

Quality also meant different things for different categories. While for luxury travelers, it meant comfort, for food and beverage purchasers, it meant fresh food and the use of rare ingredients.

Superior customer service was also paramount for many consumers—72% said that good customer service was a big part of their luxury shopping expectations followed by exclusive access to products (65%), expensive products (64%), and personal shopping services (63%).

But beyond what consumers were looking for in their luxury shopping experience, another important question is: Where are they looking for it?

Keep reading here.—JS

Traditional advertising just doesn’t resonate with audiences the way it used to. Instead, influencer marketing has taken over in a big way. It helps marketers maintain authenticity and increase brand awareness—all while giving revenue a boost.

Whether you’re an influencer marketing newbie or are a seasoned pro, impact.com’s Ultimate Guide to Influencer Marketing covers everything you need to know. You’ll find fundamentals, best practices, and tips to make the most of your influencer marketing campaigns.

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn:

• what influencer marketing is + how it works
• examples of successful campaigns
• best practices for launching influencer campaigns + programs

Get impact.com’s Ultimate Guide to Influencer Marketing here.

The Prime Day sales numbers are in: Shoppers spent a record $14.2 billion online over the two-day sales event, up 11% from last year, according to Adobe Analytics.

The research firm pointed to two major trends driving sales: back-to-school shopping and a product refresh cycle for electronics and home furnishings.

Keep reading here.—AV

This week in fashion news: Two luxury retailers are under investigation in Italy, and a German fashion brand struggles under a sales slowdown.

Armani and Dior under investigation

Giorgio Armani and Dior are facing an antitrust investigation by the Competition Authority of Italy. The labels allegedly used unfair commercial practices, Bloomberg reported. The regulator is looking into whether they used suppliers that paid employees “inadequate” wages and made them work in unsafe conditions.

Why this matters: For both Dior and Armani, the trouble seems to have started when subsidiaries of each were separately put under judicial administration for alleged labor violations. The investigation is part of the Italian authorities’ efforts to crack down on luxury brands potentially involved in “unlawful business conduct.”

Keep reading here.—JS

Boost your brand. Combining brand budget with shopper budget to build full-funnel campaigns can do big things for your biz. Want proof? Walmart Connect helped Clorox max out the numbers for their 2023 back-to-school cleaning products campaign by using both brand and shopper budgets. Read the case study.