By Charles Nicholls, CEO SimplicityDX Inc and Chair of The DX Academy, a think tank that researches how consumers buy online.
In an economy where many Americans are cutting back, one segment continues to splurge: the top 10% of earners, defined as households making $250,000 or more annually. According to the Wall Street Journal, this group now accounts for an unprecedented 49.7% of all consumer spending—a statistic that should make every brand take notice.
For brands looking to refine their e-commerce strategies and attract high-spending consumer groups, ensuring a top-tier shopping experience should be a priority. To understand why, let’s consider Apple users as an example.
Apple Device Users: A High-Value Segment
A 2018 survey of 2,000 iPhone and Android users found that, on average, iPhone owners had higher incomes and “are more likely to splurge on commodity items than those with Androids.”
It’s well-established in e-commerce circles that Apple users are a segment unto themselves. They have been found to have larger average order values and are largely loyal to the Apple brand, which ranks highly in customer experience. My company, which researches how consumers buy, has also found that Apple users are disproportionately targeted by digital advertising algorithms. We have regularly observed that Apple devices make up as much as 95% of click-through traffic from digital advertising on Meta.
This phenomenon isn’t new. More than a decade ago, a travel website experimented with steering Mac users toward different, and sometimes more expensive, travel options than Windows users based on its data showing Apple device owners had a higher willingness to pay. This experiment was met with criticism and later briefly mentioned in a government report scrutinizing differential pricing.
Since then, I’ve noticed brands have been wary of a consumer backlash to “creepy” personalization or perceived differential pricing, but it underscores a crucial insight: Apple users have long been a high-value consumer segment that’s easy for e-commerce brands to identify and demonstrates strong purchasing power and engagement. To connect with audiences like this as well as attract affluent shoppers, providing a premium experience is essential.
Tips For Providing A Premium Experience
Here are three key tactics brands can employ to maximize engagement and revenue from high-value and affluent segments:
1. Adopt a mobile-first mindset.
Many shoppers today are mobile-first consumers, from smartphones to tablets. To provide a premium experience, brands must ensure their e-commerce platforms are fully optimized for mobile, with seamless navigation, fast load times and frictionless checkout processes.
Key considerations include:
• Rich, Fast-Loading Content: To help attract premium customers, give them rich media content, including video, and ensure it loads fast.
• Seamless Mobile Checkout: Digital wallet services, such as Apple Pay integration, are no longer optional—they’re expected.
• Touch-Friendly Interfaces: Mobile-first design means intuitive visual navigation and large tap targets so shoppers become immersed in the brand story and explore its product offerings visually.
2. Use aspirational storytelling in landing experiences.
Many affluent and high-value consumers are not necessarily looking for a quick transaction; they seek an authentic experience that aligns with their lifestyle and aspirations. Instead of purely optimizing landing pages for immediate conversions, brands should craft aspirational narratives that build long-term brand affinity and customer loyalty.
To do this, provide story-driven experiences. Use rich visuals, compelling copy and immersive content to create an emotional connection rather than pushing discounts or urgency-driven sales. Instead of short-term promotions or aggressive calls to action, focus on communicating exclusivity, quality and brand values.
Finally, consider long-term relationship building. While traditional conversion rate optimization tactics focus on securing an immediate sale, aspirational storytelling fosters deeper engagement and turns visitors into lifelong brand advocates who drive higher lifetime value.
Lifestyle advertising can help with this. This means showing products in context and in a realistic setting, such as the complete cocktail outfit rather than a single product. This type of content can also be produced by influencers and creators. If you land shoppers on a product page where the product is shown on its own on a white background, this results in a hard landing and may lead to high bounce rates. Carry the storytelling through from social media into the shopping experience, and it’s a much better experience overall.
3. Leverage influencers for authentic engagement.
I’ve found affluent and high-value consumers respond best to authentic, low-pressure marketing approaches, making influencer partnerships a valuable strategy if done right. Instead of relying on aggressive sales tactics, brands can build partnerships with influencers who align with their target audience’s values and lifestyle. When working with influencers, I recommend:
• Authenticity Over Urgency: Product recommendations should feel organic and genuine rather than hard sales.
• Premium Storytelling: Influencers should create content that highlights quality, craftsmanship and exclusivity, rather than focusing on discounts.
• Avoiding High-Pressure Live-Stream Selling: While live selling on social media often involves flash deals and aggressive promotions that attract bargain hunters, luxury brands should focus on curated influencer collaborations that build long-term brand affinity.
Final Thoughts
The Wall Street Journal’s article shows that high-income consumers are spending more. I believe this group also expects premium experiences. As brands refine their e-commerce strategies, prioritizing a mobile-first approach, superior landing experiences and authentic influencer partnerships can help capture and convert highly valuable audiences.
In a world where the affluent drive nearly half of all spending, e-commerce brands looking to cater to these customers need to provide a premium, frictionless experience. In doing so, brands can position themselves for success—not only today but also for years to come.
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