Chapter 18. Sales Promotion and Personal Selling

Louis Vuitton hasn't had a sale in 156 years. "Louis Vuitton is a unique organisation: the products never go on sale, nor are they sold at duty-free shops. We create what people desire. And I love that commitment to quality." Marc Jacob - artistic director, said.

A luxury brand often wants to impose a minimum resale price for its high-end clothes in order to prevent online resellers and competing boutiques from “underselling” or discounting the goods, making it available to a wider segment of the market, and in turn, eroding the luxury brand image. Louis Vuitton does not only manufacture and sell its products to a well defined target market, but also sells a lifestyle. Therefore, the pricing and promotion strategy it is not only to protect  the brand from counterfeiting but also to be loyal to its customers. Louis Vuitton doesn't have outlets, nor sample sales.

The brand emphasizes the personal selling, values the “fullness of information” exchanged between a customer and a Louis Vuitton salesperson; LV trains salespeople to tell the stories behind the products and inform customers regarding the rich details of latest pieces, how to care for the bags, and updates on key fashion designers. Yearly, Louis Vuitton supplements stores with catalogs that consumers can buy. The catalogues contain an immense amount of information about the products; the catalogues always sell out.