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Luxury carmakers <keyword id="19980471" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mercedes-Benz" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Mercedes-Benz" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Mercedes-Benz">Mercedes-Benz</keyword>, <keyword id="19911529" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Audi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Audi" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Audi">Audi</keyword>, and <keyword id="19911528" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BMW" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BMW" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BMW">BMW</keyword> are eyeing robust sales during the festive period this year with demand for <keyword id="20194571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="High-end-cars" source="keywords">high-end cars</keyword> continuing to see an upward trend in India. In an interaction with PTI, Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO Santosh Iyer said the luxury car segment is set for its best-ever performance this year with <keyword id="19894908" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Festive-season" source="keywords">festive season</keyword> offtakes playing a major role in the overall performance. He noted that the festive season generally gives high double-digit <keyword id="20040491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sales-growth" source="keywords">sales growth</keyword>, helping the automaker to average out single-digit growth of the earlier quarter. "So in that sense, on an average, then we are able to get a double-digit growth during the festive season," Iyer stated. Elaborating on the overall industry, which still remains a very small part of the overall passenger vehicle market in the country, he said the segment is headed for record volumes this fiscal year but not all players are witnessing growth." Some (companies) are even degrowing, some are flat and they are facing headwinds, but because we are the primary player in the market, we still feel the luxury car market should cross 50,000-51,000 cars this year," Iyer said. The luxury car market in India currently remains very small accounting for less than 2 % of the overall passenger vehicle market in the country. Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon said the automaker anticipates positive buying trends to continue during the festive season. "Our best-selling models - the A4, A6, Q3, Q3 Sportback, Q5, Q7, and the newly launched Q8 - continue to drive robust demand," he added. The company is equally optimistic about the e-tron range, the e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT, Dhillon said. BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah said the fundamentals of the Indian economy are sturdy and consumer confidence in the luxury segment is on the rise. "For BMW Group India, the order bank is solid and we are trying our best to speed up deliveries for our customers. Along with additional bookings around Diwali and Dussehra, we are confident of closing the year on a high note while clocking impressive growth," he stated. He noted that the group is witnessing very strong demand for products across all segments. Pawah said that in the run-up to the festive season, the company has introduced several special editions of its existing model range. The festive season usually commences with Onam and ends with Diwali every year.

Luxury carmakers Mercedes, Audi, BMW expect robust sales this festive season

Italian <keyword id="19946118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="luxury" source="keywords">luxury</keyword> carmaker <keyword id="20673655" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Maserati" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Maserati" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Maserati">Maserati</keyword> believes <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> has the potential to be among its top ten global markets in the mid term with the country's <keyword id="20041662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="entrepreneurs" source="keywords">entrepreneurs</keyword> driving its sales, according to the company's Head of Overseas Markets, <keyword id="22976712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="philippe-claverol" source="keywords">Philippe Claverol</keyword>. The company, which on Friday launched its <keyword id="22975850" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="granturismo" source="keywords">GranTurismo</keyword> model with prices starting at Rs 2.72 crore, is also studying the feasibility of introducing its <keyword id="19906970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicle" source="keywords">electric vehicle</keyword> range in India. "Maserati is a luxury brand, so we don't look at huge volume for us. A big market for us is a market where we sell 500 cars a year... but I think in mid term, in few years, I think in India, we can reach this kind of 500 (units a year)," Claverol told PTI here on the sidelines of the launch. He, however, said volume isn't "an objective in itself" for Maserati. He further said,"I know who are the top markets of Maserati worldwide. I think India can become one of the top 10 markets for Maserati in the mid term." Currently, North America, Italy, Switzerland, China, Japan, Australia, Taiwan and the UAE are the top global markets for Maserati and India with less than 50 units sold last year is still a small market, he added. Yet, Claverol said, India is an important market for Maserati. "It is a land of entrepreneurs. A vast majority, 80 per cent of our customers in India are entrepreneurs," he said. Also, India is a country with a lot of appreciation for luxury products, he said, adding "we feel that there is a good match". In order to enhance its presence in India, Maserati is expanding sales network, he said. Maserati already has a <keyword id="20400384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dealership" source="keywords">dealership</keyword> in Mumbai and opened a new one on Friday here in the national capital and will open one in Bengaluru later this year, Claverol said. "We see that the North India market is bigger actually than the Mumbai market and we also think that Bengaluru is the third pillar. This dealership expansion is also because we want to go where the markets are in terms of volume," he said. Asked about plans for launching electric vehicles in India, Claverol said Maserati has the electric version of the conventional engine models under the Folgore range globally and the company will study the feasibility of bringing it in India. "We will, with our partners, start to look at how is the market, how to train our people, how to train the technicians, how to analyse, how to build the right offer, the pricing, the charging solution, and so on, and then, once we will be ready, we will look at the pricing, and we will obviously try to launch the Folgore range as well," he said. Asked about the timeline for a possible launch of the electric range, he said,"The sooner, the better. The cars are available."

India has potential to be in Maserati's top 10 global markets in mid term: Co-official

Luxury car maker <keyword id="19980471" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mercedes-Benz" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Mercedes-Benz" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Mercedes-Benz">Mercedes-Benz</keyword> India on Monday expanded its <keyword id="20763359" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Battery-Electric-Vehicle" source="keywords">Battery Electric Vehicle</keyword> (BEV) range in the country with the launch of the locally produced <keyword id="23188212" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EQS-580-4MATIC" source="keywords">EQS 580 4MATIC</keyword>. India is the first country outside the US to start the <keyword id="20805504" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="local-production" source="keywords">local production</keyword> of the seven-seater electric SUV. EQS SUV 580 4MATIC is the second model, after the EQS sedan, to be locally produced at company's Pune-based manufacturing plant. "This will be our sixth EV in India, and the second car to be locally produced in India. We are also proud that India becomes the first market out of the US to locally manufacture the EQS," Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Santosh Iyer told PTI in an interaction. The move to manufacture the product locally outlines the company's commitment to electrification and increasing product portfolio offering choices to customers, he added. "EQS SUV's localisation underpins our deep commitment to grow the Indian <keyword id="23188213" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="luxury-electric-car" source="keywords">luxury electric car</keyword> market and reinforce our commitment for a greener and sustainable future," Iyer said. The move also supports the government's vision of Make-in-India, he said. Iyer said local production has led to a significant advantage in terms of pricing the electric SUV. The introductory price of EQS SUV 580 4MATIC starts at Rs 1.41 crore which should also make a lot of customers shift to EVs much faster in terms of transition, he said. When asked about the demand for green vehicles, Iyer said the sales of EVs were growing in the country with even high-end products finding acceptance. "The EQA sedan which was introduced in India around 18 months back, we have sold more than 500 cars. It's a car costing more than Rs 1.6 crore. Our total penetration of EVs is 5 per cent today, it's growing. For sure, customer acceptance is there," he stated. Iyer noted that the company remains committed to offer top-end luxury EV products offering higher range in the market. He noted that there may be more opportunities in the entry EV segment but the focus of the company firmly remains on bringing luxury products in the market. "To bring products at lower price points, that is not our current strategy," Iyer said. The company aims to offer products with higher driving range, a factor that leads to bigger battery and escalation in price, he added. The EQS SUV 580 4MATIC is India's longest range electric SUV with ARAI certified range of 809 kms. Iyer said the company remains committed to the Indian market and has announced an additional investment of Rs 200 crore earlier towards manufacturing operations, new product start-ups and digitisation of manufacturing processes. The company till date has invested over Rs 3,000 crore in India, he added. In the January-September period this year, Mercedes-Benz India has launched three new BEVs ' EQA, EQS SUV 580 and Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV. With the EQS SUV 580 4MATIC, the company now offers the EQA, EQB, EQE SUV, EQS SUV, EQS sedan and Maybach EQS SUV 680 in the market. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/arkade-developers-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/113384216.cms">Arkade Developers IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-and-samsung-accused-of-colluding-with-amazon-and-flipkart/articleshow/113381204.cms">Xiaomi and Samsung accused of colluding with Amazon and Flipkart</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/motorola-edge-50-neo-with-dimensity-7300-50mp-camera-launched-in-india/articleshow/113386868.cms">Motorola Edge 50 Neo with Dimensity 7300, 50MP camera launched in India</a>

Mercedes expands BEV range; rolls out second locally produced model in India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Europe's luxury carmakers once dominated in China, but are now under intense pressure.</li><li>BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche have all reported slumping sales in the world's largest auto market.</li></ul>The days of European carmakers dominating China's luxury vehicle market are over.Germany's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/germany-auto-giants-volkswagen-bmw-mercedes-struggle-sales-china-evs-2024-10">BMW</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mercedes-benz-sliding-ev-sales-and-weak-demand-in-china-2024-10">Mercedes-Benz </a>have suffered a sales slump in the world's largest auto market in recent months amid rising pressure from a wave of Chinese EV upstarts.BMW reported a one-third decline in Chinese sales in the most recent quarter, while deliveries of new Mercedes cars dropped 10% in the first nine months of the year. Its high-end S-Class range was particularly affected as some consumers cut spending amid a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-3q-gdp-growth-stock-market-stimulus-2024-10">faltering economy</a>.Aston Martin, a luxury British brand famous for its association with James Bond, said sales in China had fallen by more than half this year in its third-quarter earnings.Meanwhile, Porsche, owned by Volkswagen, said it would shrink its Chinese dealer network amid plunging profits and a 29% slide in sales in China in the nine months to September 30.The German company has seen stalling demand for its luxury vehicles, with sales of the $100,000 electric Taycan down 47% globally in the same period.<div type="image" title="The 2023 Porsche Taycan." height="3538" width="5750" msid="114850638" hostid="261" sizebytes="544158"></div><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rolls-royce-spectre-ev-interior-tour-photos-review-2023-7">Rolls-Royce</a>, the British marque owned by BMW, has also faced weaker sales in China this year. Its luxury car marker was experiencing "more challenging times," CEO Chris Brownridge told Bloomberg in September.The Chinese market has become increasingly difficult for European brands.Volkswagen was dethroned by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/byd-seal-electric-car-review-test-drive-elon-musk-tesla-2024-3">BYD</a> as China's biggest carmaker last year, and the share of China's car market held by German automakers has dropped from about a quarter before the pandemic to less than 15%, according to Bloomberg data."China is an incredible challenge, not just for Porsche," said finance chief Lutz Meschke in comments reported by Reuters. "In the future, we can no longer assume that China will return to where it was for European players."<h2 id="16591c84-687a-45c6-9996-fcfa8cb9e4a0">High-tech competition</h2>Upmarket European automakers are being squeezed by their Chinese rivals.Many are offering vehicles <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-ev-makers-battle-for-market-dominance-with-smart-features-2024-5">packed full of novel features and intelligent software</a> of them have growing designs on China's high-end auto market, and areLast year Tesla rival BYD launched the Yangwang U8 SUV last year. The $150,000 hybrid has a motor on each wheel that allows it to move <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/byd-chinese-tesla-rival-yangwang-u9-supercar-jump-dance-2023-4">like a crab</a>.The U8 also comes with an onboard drone, and BYD says it can even <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-ev-giants-innovation-ai-auto-show-european-rivals-despair-2024-10">float on water for up to 30 minutes</a>.Other Chinese automakers have gone to even greater lengths to stand out in the country's red-hot auto market, with Zeekr showing off the spacious and luxurious interior of its MIX minivan by having an executive eat a hot pot inside it.<div type="image" title="Zeekr Mix" height="3024" width="4032" msid="114850635" hostid="261" sizebytes="755406"></div>The competitiveness of the Chinese market means consumers don't need to spend a fortune to obtain luxury vehicles.The SU7, an electric sedan built by Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-su7-chinese-ev-features-specs-photos-ford-ceo-2024-10">packed with high-tech features</a> including a 16.1-inch infotainment screen and remote voice control that allows drivers to control household appliances from the car.But it is also relatively affordable, with the base version starting at 215,900 yuan ($30,300) and the high-end SU7 Max priced at 299,900 yuan ($42,100). Xiaomi has just <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-ev-xiaomi-su7-driven-by-fords-ceo-faster-model-2024-10">unveiled a high-performance version of the SU7</a> that costs 814,900 yuan ($114,000).Steve Dyer, managing director at AlixPartners, a London-based consulting firm, told Business Insider that Chinese manufacturers were encroaching on the premium market from the "bottom up," targeting the lower segment before gradually releasing more expensive vehicles aimed at less price-sensitive customers."The Chinese companies are doing what the Korean companies did to get market share outside Korea, and that is to offer a lot of feature content for a good price," he said.Dyer said Chinese buyers often focused on luxurious interiors, as well as intelligent technology such as advanced driver assist systems — an area in which <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-full-self-driving-technology-china-local-competition-2024-4">Chinese automakers excel</a> and their European rivals have struggled to keep up."They've fallen behind in the sense that they're applying an automotive product development mindset to a fast-moving, rapidly changing, technology space," said Dyer.A study by AlixPartners found that Chinese automakers released 40 over-the-air software updates between March 2023 and February this year, compared with just two from legacy automakers."It's a typical software mindset. You're willing to launch a product quickly, even though it may need fixing later because you know you can fix it," said Dyer.<h2 id="a63ec01b-1782-4334-a38c-155f7b0a6f6e">Hard to quit</h2>Despite a challenging environment, Western premium automakers can ill afford to give up on China. It remains Volkswagen's second- biggest global market, behind Western Europe, and Mercedes sold around a third of its cars there last year.<div type="image" title="Xiaomi SU7" height="1663" width="2500" msid="114850641" hostid="261" sizebytes="189460"></div>They're likely to face a bumpy road as they try to recover, however.Because the premium vehicle market is less price-sensitive, Dyer said more Chinese automakers will move into it to diversify away from China's brutally competitive mass market.As well as increased competition, European automakers face a geopolitical headache.Tim Urquhart, principal automotive analyst at S&amp;P Global Mobility, told BI the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-electric-vehicles-european-tariffs-retaliation-vw-bmw-mercedes-tesla-2024-10">European Union's tariffs on Chinese automakers</a> meant Beijing could impose levies on European car imports in retaliation."They could be facing a perfect storm if those tariffs are imposed as well," he said.Even if that does happen, Urquhart said the sheer size of the Chinese market means it's unlikely that major Western automakers will abandon it anytime soon. "They can't afford to make a full-scale retrenchment and retreat from their current position, especially as they've invested so much there."

Luxury European automakers are getting crushed in China

New Delhi: India is set to enter a transformative "smartphone era" for cars in 2025, with the introduction of vehicles featuring 5G M2M connectivity and advanced AI technologies, according to the latest findings from Techarc's India Connected Consumer Report 2025. The report said the automotive sector will skip 4G and will enable connectivity using the latest 5G cellular technology. It observed that consumers are interested in spending money on improving the value proposition in terms of features, quality and experience rather than exploring too many smart devices. "22 per cent of the respondents shared about considering optimising their smart devices portfolio. Among the new set of categories, smart/connected cars is generating high interest among consumers. 55 per cent of the respondents said that they have come across news or information about smart/connected cars in recent times," it said. Starting in 2025, passenger cars in India will be equipped with 5G M2M connectivity, on-device GenAI, and cloud connectivity, making advanced technologies accessible across various price segments, it added. In-vehicle computing and artificial intelligence (GenAI), along with cloud applications, will become essential components of cars, enabling real-time data processing to support drivers effectively. Most cars priced at Rs 20 lakh and above will feature these technologies as standard. The cumulative revenues from automotive chipset companies have already surpassed USD 1.5 billion, with companies like Qualcomm and MediaTek leading the market. Some of the familiar applications that consumers will be able to use while driving include communication apps for audio/video conferencing, OTT entertainment apps, music streaming, podcasts, online shopping, vehicle maintenance, and servicing. "With connectivity and the technologies it brings to the cars, the future of the automobile sector will be fundamentally determined by the auto-technologies that will influence the overall experience, performance, comfort, safety and entertainment available to the drivers as well as the passengers. "So far, such features were seen as luxury or high-end experiences. But starting 2025, many of these will become mainstream for cars in India," Techarc AutoTech Analyst Sadat Ahanger said. With 22 automobile manufacturers producing nearly 5 million passenger vehicles annually in India, the country is poised to become a leader in the global 5G M2M market within the next few years, the report said. About 21 per cent of respondents said MG Motors is the leader in providing <keyword id="24016739" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="connected-cars-in-India" source="keywords">connected cars in India</keyword>, followed closely by Kia Motors at 18 per cent and Tata Motors at 15 per cent, it added. Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki also ranked among the top-five brands in this category. The report draws insights from a survey of 4,500 "connected consumers" across metro and non-metro cities. The report defined a connected consumer as one owning at least 3 smart devices in addition to a smartphone.

India to shift to 'smartphone era' for cars embracing 5G, advanced AI in 2025: Report

I drove an $88,000 Mercedes-Benz sedan. These 21 features make it one of the most high-tech luxury cars money can buy 

In these divided times, everything is political, from the news we consume to the fast food we binge. But consciously or unconsciously, no consumer choice says "us vs. them" more than what car we choose to drive. To get a sense of how our rides reflect our political leanings, we compared <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/methodology-for-car-database-united-states-of-automobiles-2024-10">1.7 million vehicles</a> listed on CarGurus with the results from the 2020 presidential election. We included only counties that were strongly red or blue — those where either Donald Trump or Joe Biden won by at least 19 percentage points. Then we placed every car on a political spectrum from reddest to bluest.Explore the United States of Automobiles• <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-states-car-models-interactive-guide-politics-color-brand-location-2024-10">See where in America your vehicle is most popular</a>• <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/america-most-popular-car-models-state-city-county-geography-2024-10">Check out the cars your neighbors love most</a>• <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-car-colors-boring-black-white-gray-cost-cutting-2024-10">Cars used to be really colorful. What happened?</a>• <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/methodology-for-car-database-united-states-of-automobiles-2024-10">How we crunched the numbers</a>The results were illuminating. The most Republican vehicle in America? The Jeep Wrangler. The second most Republican vehicle? The Jeep Gladiator. And eight of the 10 reddest vehicles are American-made. If you like Trump, you probably like Chevys.<h2 id="eef577ae-00d6-446b-89e7-1387ed3ffdbb">Top 10 most Republican vehicles</h2>The reverse was true for blue counties. The most Democratic vehicle in America is the Toyota Prius. And eight of the 10 bluest vehicles are foreign-made. If you like Biden, you probably get your oil changed at a VW dealership.<h2 id="951e1f99-f84d-49be-9311-17ef080c9719">Top 10 most Democratic vehicles</h2>But most interesting of all are the vehicles that appeal to both sides of the political divide. Despite some of its models ranking high with Republicans, the purplest carmaker in America — the one that spans the widest range on the red-blue spectrum — is Jeep. The automaker, it turns out, has made a conscious effort to transcend tribalism and forge a bond with Americans of every political leaning: veterans who drove a Jeep in the Army, soccer moms concerned about space and safety, tree huggers eager to get off-road, MAGA lovers looking for an all-American ride. (Never mind that Jeep is owned by Stellantis, a multinational automotive conglomerate headquartered in Hoofddorp, Netherlands.)"To develop a culture around an entire brand — it's not luck of the draw," says Ivan Drury, the director of insights for Edmunds, a leading guide for car shoppers. "It takes direction and purpose. What Jeep pulls off is extremely difficult."It began with the Jeep Wrangler, the brand's most iconic model. First offered for sale in 1987, the Wrangler recalled the glory days of the Greatest Generation, while offering an off-road aesthetic that appealed to red and blue alike. From there, Jeep made sure that drivers could grow up — and grow old — with the brand. Dave Kelleher, a Jeep dealer in swing-state Pennsylvania, has watched customers graduate from Jeep to Jeep as their lifestyles changed. A young man in his 20s might start out in a Wrangler, and a wife and a few kids later he has cycled up through the Grand Cherokee, a larger family car that starts at $38,800, and the Grand Wagoneer, a three-row luxury SUV whose sticker price can soar into the six digits. "The halo of Wrangler brings people into the brand," Kelleher says, "and that DNA is still in every other Jeep they sit in."<h2 id="21b0fac9-f8c9-4bb6-8428-b4b60d236b81">How purple is your car brand?</h2>Jeep's appeal is so widespread, in fact, that its fans have launched a dizzying array of online clubs and forums, from "Jeep Girls" and "Outlaw Jeep," to "Deep and Dirty Jeep Club." Owners stage Jeep Jamborees all across the country, from the desert of Moab to the mountains of Appalachia. They line the streets of the Toledo Jeep Fest, an annual celebration of the brand in the city where the iconic Wrangler is assembled. And ever since the COVID pandemic, they've started leaving rubber duckies on each other's cars — an inside signal to other drivers that you're both a part of the club. In an age of political extremes, America may be, as Lincoln feared, a house divided. But with enough Jeeps parked in front of the house, perhaps there's still a hope we can remain united.Text by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/mark-healy">Mark Healy</a>, founder of Flipturn Creative Studios, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/nora-naughton">Nora Naughton</a>, BI's senior auto reporter. Data by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/andrew-thompson">Andrew Thompson</a>, creator of <a target="_blank" href="https://components.one/">Components</a>, a cultural research project.

Red car, blue car: see where your ride ranks on the political spectrum

<div type="image" title="Indians are getting fancy, and they don&amp;#39;t mind paying a little extra if it means quality and luxury. Most consumer brands are witnessing an uptick in their premium product segment" msid="115018213" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Indians are getting fancy, and they don&amp;#39;t mind paying a little extra if it means quality and luxury. Most consumer brands are witnessing an uptick in their premium product segment&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> It's time to move over from plain, vanilla budget basics! Indians are no longer looking for “best purchases and value buys under Rs 1,000”—at least not as much as before. <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s getting fancy, and how! From gold-flaked chocolates to swanky SUVs that look like they’re wheeled straight out of a Bollywood blockbuster, Indian companies are rapidly jazzing up their product lines, even faster than you can say the word "premiumization." But what does this mean for Indian companies and consumers? What is this jazz about premiumization all about? Is it just urban India that’s riding this wave, or has rural India also joined the bandwagon? We decode for you. <h2>What's premium, really?</h2>Imagine you’re eating Pav Bhaji at a roadside thela. Later during the day, you decide to dine out at a fancy, upmarket cafe, only to find Pav Bhaji Fondue on the menu. Same same, but much more expensive—often 5 to 10 times higher—for a little more hygiene and some better ambience! Think of premium products as this fondue. They are a notch up your regular, daily-use products soaps or shampoos, and even cars, all packaged luxuriously, offering just about the right touch of quality. The main differentiator, though, would be the price range. <h2>Driving home premium wellness</h2>A recent report by Nielsen suggests that over 70% of urban Indians are okay with paying a premium for their products. And companies are cashing in on this sentiment like never before. This explains why 58% of new products launched so far this year have been in the premium+ segment, as opposed to just 38% of new launches in regular, traditional trade. Take cars, for instance. Indians are no longer vying for a good old <keyword id="19950117" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maruti" source="keywords">Maruti</keyword> 800 or <keyword id="20400567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="alto" source="keywords">Alto</keyword>, traditionally known for their healthy mileage, but are rather happy investing in more swanky features that come along with high-end cars. In October 2024, India’s largest car manufacturer, <keyword id="19909974" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maruti-suzuki" source="keywords">Maruti Suzuki</keyword>, sold 65,948 units of its compact cars like Swift, WagonR, Dzire, and more. Compared to the year-ago period, which saw sales of 80,662 units, this was an 18% dip. But take a look at their SUV (sport utility vehicle) sales for the same period. Cars like Brezza, Ertiga, and Grand Vitara sold about 70,644 units, a 19% uptick from the sales made in October 2023, i.e. 59,147 units. Simply put, when it comes to cars, Indians are saying the bigger, the better! The same is true for India's second biggest automobile manufacturer, Hyundai. Its SUV lineup made up a staggering 68.2% of the firm's total sales made for October 2024. What's more, SUV demand remained largely consistent across urban and rural markets. <h2>Consumers are inching up</h2>FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) are also riding the premiumization wave, with Indians prioritizing their health and wellness and not bothered about dishing out a few extra bucks for the same! You’ll find no dearth of words like organic, vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free, peppered generously over every product you’ll see today, be it soaps, juices, or more. No wonder then, sales from premium segments in 2024 make up around 27% of all FMCG sales and even contribute a massive 42% to the sector’s value growth in India. Nielsen report further adds that luxury brands that position themselves at twice the price of their category’s average are even witnessing stellar growth. In fact, for most FMCG brands like Tata Consumer Products, <keyword id="20002610" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hindustan-unilever" source="keywords">Hindustan Unilever</keyword> (HUL), Dabur, and Nestle, it is this premium segment that is growing much faster than their regular ones. And it's not just about daily-use products; Indians are also taking their celebrations a step over. Spirits manufacturer <keyword id="20125704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="radico-khaitan" source="keywords">Radico Khaitan</keyword> highlighted that for the first half of 2024, their prestige &amp; above segment made for 88.4% of its net sales value. In the same period, the regular popular segment accounted for just 9.1% of their net sales. From Hindustan Unilever, which saw its premium products grow 30% over the last quarter, to <keyword id="20521971" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kingfisher" source="keywords">Kingfisher</keyword> beer's parent company, <keyword id="20124009" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="united-breweries" source="keywords">United Breweries</keyword>, whose premium product sales volume jumped by 27% during the quarter as opposed to just a 5% rise in overall volumes, everyone is seemingly taking their lifestyle a notch above. Per the Nielsen report, in 2024, a typical global consumer spends about $13.7k per year. This is set to grow by around 2.4% to $14k as early as next year. Even a report by Goldman Sachs also highlighted a similar trend, noting that India’s affluent class, or those earning over $10,000 (Rs 8,42,694.97), is set to reach 100 million in the next 3 years. And where will this consumer spend? On premium products! <h2>Online shopping shifts from mass to class</h2>Amazon’s Great Indian Shopping Festival, which was live between September 27 and October 29 this year, saw 140 crore customers, more than 85% of whom came from non-metro Indian cities. On the site, there was a 400% spike in sales in premium sales across categories like watches, fragrances, handbags, jewelry, and more. Rival <keyword id="19896939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flipkart" source="keywords">Flipkart</keyword> noted a similar trend, recording 1.8x growth in premium beauty and personal care products during the first half of this year. <h2>Dialing in premiumness</h2>The Indian smartphone ecosystem has always been dominated by basic phones, or those entry- and mid-range phones that are priced between Rs 10,000 and Rs 6,000. But that has changed in recent times, with premium smartphones (i.e., those priced over Rs 60,000) registering 20%+ growth in 2024. During the first quarter of this year, sales of mass phones (priced between Rs 10,000 and 20,000) reached 44%, compared to 51% in the year-ago period. But it's all sunny and shiny in the mid-premium (priced between Rs 40,000 and Rs 60,000) and super-premium segments (priced above Rs 60,000). Sales growth has burgeoned by as much as 27% and 86% in these categories, respectively. As India continues its march toward becoming the world's third-largest economy by 2027, the premium party is just getting started. Industry experts predict that premium segments will grow faster than you can say "sustainable organic handcrafted artisanal batch of coffee." So the next time you see someone dropping serious rupees on a fancy bottle of black water that also somehow plays music and tracks their hydration (yes, that's a thing), remember: This is just the trailer. Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost! Do you have a topic in mind you'd want a simpler explanation for, or insights or experiences to share on personal finance and more? Contact us at businessinsider@timesinternet.in.

Simply Put: From Dal to Dolce—India is loving its luxury life

It feels like a distant memory, but once upon a time America's carmakers produced vehicles in a veritable rainbow of colors. As recently as 2005, more than half of all automobiles on the road were painted a color other than black, white, silver, or gray. Some of the tints even sported names straight out of a Hot Wheels collection: Tangerine Scream, Go Green, Plum Crazy. Explore the United States of Automobiles• <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-states-car-models-interactive-guide-politics-color-brand-location-2024-10">See where in America your vehicle is most popular</a>• <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/america-most-popular-car-models-state-city-county-geography-2024-10">Check out the cars your neighbors love most</a>• <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/car-models-owned-by-republicans-democrats-american-politics-jeep-2024-10">What our rides reveal about our politics</a>• <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/methodology-for-car-database-united-states-of-automobiles-2024-10">How we crunched the numbers</a> But over the past quarter century, the range of hues has narrowed dramatically. Today, less than 20% of vehicles listed in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/methodology-for-car-database-united-states-of-automobiles-2024-10">our database of 1.7 million cars</a> are a color other than black, white, silver, or gray. In an age of infinite digital luminosity, America's roads have become as dull and washed out as a Civil War daguerreotype.The culprit? Corporate cost cutting. As profit margins got tighter, automakers went looking for ways to make assembly lines run faster and cheaper. "Less is more," says Ivan Drury, the director of insights at Edmunds, one of the leading guides for car shoppers. "Simplifying the production process — with fewer trim options and fewer paint options — is always going to be a winner."Detroit's paint palette dried up even more after the global financial crisis of 2008, which forced GM and Chrysler to file for bankruptcy. Today, car colors are going the way of checked airline bags — you pay extra for something you used to get free. "They see it as a way to make money," Drury says of carmakers. "Some colors are reserved for the higher trim level." As our database reveals, the more luxurious the car, the more colorful things get. Only 12% of Chevys come in a color, compared with 44% of Lamborghinis. Offering fewer options to average car buyers — and more to the wealthy — enables automakers to bask in the color they care about most: green.<h2 id="f6b788ef-461c-4ffc-9988-c08949686e0e">Paint by numbers</h2>Text by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/mark-healy">Mark Healy</a>, founder of Flipturn Creative Studios. Data by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/andrew-thompson">Andrew Thompson</a>, creator of <a target="_blank" href="https://components.one/">Components</a>, a cultural research project. Graphics by designer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/dan-de-lorenzo">Dan DeLorenzo</a>, data graphics fellow <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/kim-nguyen">Kim Nguyen</a>, and data visualization director <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/randy-yeip">Randy Yeip</a>.

Black, white, and boring: the monochroming of America's cars

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Benedetto Vigna has been Ferrari's CEO since 2021, overseeing the company's transition to EVs.</li><li>His background is in tech, with previous experience as an executive at a semiconductor company.</li></ul>Ferrari's CEO would prefer if the company moved fast like its cars.Since he assumed his chief executive role in 2021, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ferrari-ceo-tesla-wake-up-call-electric-cars-elon-musk-2023-2">Benedetto Vigna</a> introduced changes to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ferraris-history-2016-2">Ferrari</a> so the more than 80-year-old company could move with the speed of a tech startup as it ventured into the competitive space of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-byd-tesla-electric-car-ev-race-2023-11">electric vehicles</a>.To do so, Vigna stripped away layers of bureaucracy, creating a flatter hierarchy inside the company, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/ferrari-cars-ceo-benedetto-vigna-416e76d9?mod=wknd_pos1">The Wall Street Journal</a> reported — a move <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/ferrari-cars-ceo-benedetto-vigna-416e76d9?mod=wknd_pos1">other CEOs</a> have been exploring to improve a company's performance or ability to innovate.Previously, there were six levels of employees between the CEO and test drivers, for example. Now, there are three."When the environmental condition is changing at high speed, you need to have a team that is able to adapt at high speed," Vigna told the Journal.Vigna's leadership approach stems from his long background in tech, according to the outlet.A trained physicist, Vigna previously spent about 25 years at STMicroelectronics, a semiconductor company, where he started as an engineer and later became an executive, according to a press release from Ferrari.At Ferrari, Vigna saw what he called a high "bureaucratic mass index," where employees were too far removed from the CEO, the Journal reported.Vigna has previously expressed his desire for Ferrari to work faster and with less corporate bloat.In a 2023 interview with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-24/how-ferrari-s-ceo-benedetto-vigna-stays-ahead-of-his-competition?embedded-checkout=true">Bloomberg</a>, Vigna said he believed that companies work more efficiently through smaller teams."In a big team you feel like a number," he told Bloomberg. "In a small team, you are a person that's contributing one way or another. Also, the speed of learning from mistakes is much faster."So far, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-does-not-understand-ferrari-business-2017-10">Wall Street</a> has responded well to Vigna's arrival.According to the Journal, the company stock price has nearly doubled since Vigna took control of the company.Ferrari also plans to roll out its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ferrari-ceo-ev-wont-be-silent-like-tesla-car-2024-3">first electric car</a> by the end of 2025.A spokesperson for Ferrari did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent during the weekend.

Ferrari's CEO likes to run the luxury car company like a tech startup

<ul class="summary-list"><li>At the edge of Serengeti National Park sits TAASA, a luxury safari lodge.</li><li>A night in one of the 540-square-foot canvas tents costs $985 a person.</li></ul>As the Toyota Land Cruiser begins its trek up to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.go2africa.com/accommodation/taasa-lodge#reviews">TAASA Lodge</a> in the northern part of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, the sound of voices grows louder and louder.Moments earlier, rattling glass soda bottles and creaky car noises drowned out surrounding bird calls and the rumbles from passing African bush elephants.Now, all ears are on sing-songy voices and the distant beat of the drum.As the faces of the singers come into view, their lyrics become clear: "Jambo. Jambo bwana. Habari gani? Mzuri sana."While words like jambo — a Swahili greeting — were familiar, others were new to me.Later, TAASA's lodge manager, May Simon, translated the song and shared why the lodge staff greets all visitors with the popular melody.The beginning of the "Jambo Bwana" song translates to, "Hi, sir. How are you? Very fine. Visitors are welcome in our country. No worries."But Simon said its meaning extends far beyond words."It's about the love," Simon said. "It brings joy and makes you smile."Ultimately, she said, it's the lodge staff's way of welcoming you home.And after spending just two nights at the luxury lodge, TAASA quickly felt like home.<div type="image" title="The interior of the main lodge at TAASA." height="1365" width="1820" msid="115309555" hostid="261" sizebytes="227090"></div><h2 id="216730d2-7f43-4450-aa1a-3bdc3cf91775">The luxury lodge sits at the edge of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park</h2>TAASA sits in a game reserve near the northern edge of the Serengeti, overlooking Tanzania's Lobo Valley.The lodge itself has 12 canvas tents, each 540 square feet.The small space is simple yet luxurious. At the front of the tent is a living area with a desk and an L-shaped couch. Two steps lead to an elevated bedroom area with a king-sized mattress sandwiched by nightstands. Behind the bed is the tent's bathroom with a two-sink vanity, shower, and toilet. Throughout the space, natural elements like a wooden chandelier and stone shower remind guests of the natural world.<div type="image" title="The interior and exterior of the author's tent at TAASA Lodge." height="900" width="1200" msid="115309549" hostid="261" sizebytes="76432"></div>Guests are paired with a butler who coordinates schedules, serves meals, cleans laundry, and tidies rooms. Mikindo woke me up each morning with a cappuccino and left a hot water bottle in my bed each night.At their core, the accommodations are still tents, which was a positive in my mind. It meant I still felt in tune with nature every moment I spent in the room. I fell asleep to the roars of nearby lions, and one afternoon, I watched a family of baboons use my patio like a playground and my tent supports like a fireman's pole.<div type="image" title="The tent had 180-degree views of the surrounding nature." height="1289" width="1935" msid="115309550" hostid="261" sizebytes="130224"></div>In addition to the 12 identical tents, there is a main lodge where meals are served and unlimited drinks are poured.Here, the space oozes warmth. Comfy couches are the ideal places to sip gin and tonics and share game drive photos. Outside sits a small infinity pool overlooking the valley and a shared bonfire that provides warmth during chilly evenings.<div type="image" title="Side-by-side images of TAASA Lodge." height="900" width="1200" msid="115309563" hostid="261" sizebytes="133900"></div>During this year's high season, which is from June through October and the end of December, a night at TAASA Lodge in a shared tent costs $985 per person. This includes three meals a day, house beverages, laundry services, game drives, a visit to a nearby Maasai village, and transfers to and from the nearby airstrip. For 2025, nightly rates are $1,060 per person.Additionally, guests pay a TAASA concession fee, a 1% tourism development levy, government taxes, and Serengeti National Park fees, which total around $150 per person a night. Business Insider received a media rate for the two-night stay.<div type="image" title="My guide and tracker in the morning light." height="1365" width="1820" msid="115309560" hostid="261" sizebytes="99674"></div><h2 id="817c3b7c-8376-480e-9671-d8130d884953">I spent two days spotting Tanzania's wildlife</h2>While it was tempting to spend mornings sipping coffee on my tent's veranda or afternoons lounging near the pool, the true highlight of TAASA is its game drives.The lodge sits near three ecosystems: the Serengeti National Park, the Maasai Mara National Reserve, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.For two full days, Logolie Milya guided me on game drives alongside tracker Sam.This was my first lodge during my seven-night trip in the Serengeti, and I failed to realize how spoiled I was at TAASA.Since it sits in a game reserve, not a national park, we could off-road and see animals up close and personal in our open-sided vehicles. One morning, we approached a male and female lion lounging in the sun; that afternoon, we watched a leopard carry its kill into the branches of a kigelia tree.<div type="image" title="A pair of zebras and a lion in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania." height="900" width="1200" msid="115309548" hostid="261" sizebytes="153358"></div>What I didn't see were many other game vehicles. For major sightings — like a black rhino or our leopard spotting — Milya would call in the location to other guides, which meant two or three vehicles might pull up for the viewing. Beyond that, we were solo for the vast majority of the trip.Later, when I stayed at a lodge in central Serengeti, I learned how intimate my TAASA viewings were. In the more populated parts of the national park, my guide and I would join crowds of 12-plus vehicles for a cheetah spotting or sit in a line of Range Rovers waiting for a chance to see a leopard.The advantages of staying at TAASA continued as the sun set. In Serengeti National Park, night game drives aren't permitted. But since TAASA isn't in the park, you can track animals into the evening.Night game drives are an entirely different experience. Sam sat at the front of the vehicle with a large light, scanning the distance for eyes and animals. We spotted two lions on the move — a drastic change from the lazy, lounging lions we had watched earlier in the afternoon. Beyond that, nighttime offered a completely different view of the bush with unfamiliar sounds and shapes.<div type="image" title="TAASA Lodge borders the northern section of Serengeti National Park in Tanzania." height="1365" width="2048" msid="115309557" hostid="261" sizebytes="381690"></div><h2 id="e8f9e8ad-f867-4393-afba-9be55eeccf6c">After two nights, TAASA felt like home</h2>At the end of each game drive, I was welcomed back to the lodge with the same melody and familiar faces.Mikindo was always there to greet me with a cool towel and a refreshing drink. But beyond that, Mikindo became a smiling face eager to hear about the giraffe I spotted crossing the Mara River and dive into stories about his family and childhood.I spent days with Milya and Sam, sharing anecdotes, laughing, and asking endless questions. Milya shared insight into how his childhood growing up in a Maasai village equipped him with the instincts and knowledge to be a guide. Sam told stories about his brothers and sisters who live in the nearby Ololosokwan village.Simon said her goal as the lodge manager is to "always try to make sure guests leave with a memory. Try to capture their hearts."As I left TAASA, I found myself stuck singing "Jambo Bwana" throughout the rest of my Tanzania trip. I whispered the words to myself on game drives and woke up to the lyrics in my mind some mornings.With those words came images of TAASA — the welcoming staff, the adrenaline-inducing game drives, and the serene landscapes.

I stayed in a 540-square-foot luxury tent at the edge of Africa's Serengeti National Park. The lodge was stunning, but the safari perks were the real highlight.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Luxury sales in Japan are growing despite a downturn across Asia. </li><li>Japan's currency downturn has attracted foreign tourists to take advantage of lower prices.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lvmh-brands-iconic-luxury-goods-bernard-arnault-2019-10">LVMH</a> is the latest luxury retailer to report growth in sales in Japan, as Chinese consumers travel abroad to take advantage of cheaper luxury prices.On Tuesday, LVMH group reported a drop in profit and revenues in the first half of 2024 compared to the year before. However, sales in Japan stood out, with double-digit revenue growth.The luxury conglomerate, known for brands like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-delphine-arnault-bernards-daughter-dior-ceo-lvmh-life-photos-2023-1">Louis Vuitton and Dior</a>, reported "exceptional growth in Japan arising in particular from purchases made by Chinese travelers.""In Japan, traffic is going through the roof," LVMH CFO Jean-Jacques Guiony said on an earnings call.And it's not the only luxury brand seeing its sales boom in Japan, thanks to Chinese tourists.<h2 id="5e24d72b-760b-473e-a5ef-fe75133f2c4d">Japan is managing to avoid a luxury downturn</h2>Earlier in July, Burberry reported its Q1 fiscal 2025 <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.burberryplc.com/content/dam/burberry/corporate/Investors/Results_Reports/2024/july-trading-update/Burberry%20Q1%20FY25%20Announcement.pdf.downloadasset.pdf">earnings</a>. Same-store sales in Asia Pacific were down 23%, with sales in Mainland China dropping by 21%.The one country to escape the dip was Japan, where sales grew 6%."The country's luxury industry has benefited from strong tourism from China and other near-shore customers in Asia," Burberry wrote in an earnings release.Richemont, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cartier-van-cleef-richemont-winning-luxury-beating-lvmh-kering-2024-6">the conglomerate behind brands like Cartier</a>, and the Swatch Group — the world's biggest watchmaker — also reported strong growth in Japan compared to the rest of Asia in earnings results this month.Another luxury conglomerate, Kering, which owns brands like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gucci-sales-profit-reputation-falling-luxury-kering-michele-china-2024-5">Gucci</a>, Balenciaga, and Saint Laurent, reported a similar sales trend. In <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.kering.com/api/download-file/?path=Kering_Investor_Presentation_May_2024_ENG_9b999e4fd3.pdf">Kering's Q1 2024 results</a>, revenue from Japan grew 16% during the quarter, while Asia Pacific, which excludes Japan but includes China, was down 19%.<h2 id="12947fc3-47ed-417f-90ef-9d544b2b1227">Japan's weak currency is attracting tourists from the rest of Asia</h2>The yen has been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/jpy-usd?_gl=1*1tepz1s*_ga*MTEyMDk3ODA1NC4xNzE1Nzg0NTkw*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyMTA1NTI2OC4xOTguMS4xNzIxMDU3NjE5LjQ5LjAuMA..">steadily declining in value</a> for more than three years. That means tourist dollars go further than they have for years, and luxury goods likely cost visitors less in Japan than back home.This has led <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-weak-currency-yen-boosts-foreign-tourism-luxury-purchases-travel-2024-4">foreign tourists to flock to Japan</a> to take advantage of the low prices and snap up cheaper products from premium brands. In March, the country broke its pre-pandemic tourist record with 3.1 million visitors."Right now, the devaluation of the yen is driving a lot of tourism to Japan," Amrita Banta, managing director of luxury insights firm Agility Research &amp; Strategy, told Business Insider."Koreans, Taiwanese, Chinese, and Singaporeans are all traveling and shopping in Japan," she added, "they are enjoying bargains and shopping in Tokyo, where they know they can buy luxury goods much cheaper.<h2 id="bbbc1143-49a8-43ae-97b0-774d939a0e6b">Many luxury tourists are coming from China</h2>China has been a stronghold for luxury brands. But recently, Chinese consumers have been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-second-quarter-gdp-growth-weak-demand-consumption-exports-2024-7">reluctant to spend their cash domestically</a>.Weak consumer spending has dragged down <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-weak-domestic-demand-factory-activity-amid-strong-export-2024-7">China's economic growth</a>. Retail sales of consumer goods expanded just 2% in June from a year ago, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics. In June, domestic sales of cars, cosmetics, and household electronics all slumped despite an increase in household disposable income.China's economy is facing a bunch of challenges, including a <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-outlook-home-prices-slumped-beijing-property-crisis-real-estate-2024-4">real-estate crisis</a>, stock-market volatility, geopolitical headwinds, and <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-population-birthrate-hospitals-give-up-delivering-babies-obstetrics-2024-3">demographic challenges</a>.The economic uncertainty means domestic consumers are less willing to spend on discretionary goods. Instead, they're opting to buy gold or spend their money on <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-lopsided-recovery-consumer-retail-spending-industrial-output-property-2024-5">experiences</a>.Attracted by the cheaper prices of luxury goods, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rich-chinese-millennials-solo-travel-no-kids-new-status-symbols-2024-5">China's luxury consumers</a> are spending their cash in Japan instead."Prices of luxury items in China are in many cases significantly more expensive than outside China," Daniel Langer, a professor of luxury at Pepperdine University and CEO of the luxury strategy firm Équité, told BI.So once <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rich-chinese-millennials-status-symbol-solo-travel-no-group-tours-2024-6">lockdown travel restrictions were lifted</a>, "Chinese social media like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-instagram-killer-xiaohongshu-explained-2022-3">Xiaohongshu</a> was full of stories about the price differences between items from Hermès, Dior, and others," he added.Traveling to other destinations to buy luxury goods at lower prices is not new. Langer said that twenty to thirty years ago, Japanese luxury clients would travel to Paris and Rome and take advantage of the then-lower prices of luxury items.Now, the particularly weak yen has reversed that trend.On top of that, Japan has an incredible and growing wealth, Langer added. "There is a strong internal demand for luxury, further fueled by an influx of travelers."

Japan is fast becoming the hottest market for luxury brands

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A vintage expert with 20 years of experience says there are five telltale signs of a fake designer bag.</li><li>She said luxury handbags from the likes of Gucci, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton have defining traits.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Koyaana Redstar, the head of luxury buying at <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://ldj.com/">Luxe Du Jour</a>, an online luxury boutique for vintage designer handbags. It has been edited for length and clarity.I got started in the resale industry very young, at the age of 13, selling my mother's old Kate Spade handbags on eBay.After my first sale, I was hooked. There was just something about the quick turnover and the fact that they liquidated very quickly.From that moment, I was like, "What else can I sell?"I've worked for Rebag, The RealReal, and other vintage consignment stores, and I have 20 years of experience in the resale industry. I've learned strategies that help me identify specific things about luxury bags, from their model to configuration, just by looking at a piece. But here are some things that someone not as experienced with designer bags can look for to determine if the bag they see in a vintage store is authentic.<h2 id="331a4c14-bf3a-43dc-8052-72d1f6011ea5">Symmetry</h2><div type="image" title="A black leather canvas Gucci Horsebit bag." height="3667" width="5498" msid="114061767" hostid="261" sizebytes="463314"></div>Overall, look for symmetry.Luxury brands take the time to lay out their pieces. For example, the quilting should be centered on a Chanel bag. Look at the back pocket. The quilting should align with the bag it's sewn to.Then look at the front flap — the quilting should align on the front. If it is, that's a good indicator that it's authentic.Gucci, for instance, takes the time to align its patterns, which are usually centered. The same is true of Louis Vuitton.So, look for that alignment. If it's off-center, don't even bother.<h2 id="6f1218e2-5ce6-4771-a177-869148f2ee5a">Hardware</h2><div type="image" title="A blue velvet Marmont handbag from Gucci." height="408" width="612" msid="114061765" hostid="261" sizebytes="13650"></div>You have to ask yourself — does the hardware have a nice weight to it? Does it make a nice sound when you're opening and closing the bag or when you use the zipper?Don't even get me started on the super fakes, but for the most part, you won't find the sound of good hardware on fakes. The metal tends to sound and feel cheap, thin, and hollow.With an authentic piece, you'll move the hardware and think, "Oh, this feels nice. This feels luxurious. This feels like I'm investing in this piece because this is going to last me a while."<h2 id="5b4b633b-239e-4fd3-963f-769a8fe3851c">Smell</h2><div type="image" title="A dark brown Hermes Birkin." height="3269" width="4904" msid="114061762" hostid="261" sizebytes="333788"></div>I know this is a weird thing, but this is something I do to authenticate a piece. I smell the bag.Does it smell like leather? In certain cases, you'll know whether it's leather when you smell it.However, if it smells too much like leather, it may also not be authentic.It depends on the brand. Take, for example, the Hermes Birkin. The way the brand treats the leather gives it an almost perfumed smell — like the luxurious interior of a really expensive car.But if you smell a bag and it smells like you're in a boot shop — that's not good.For example, for Louis Vuitton vintage pieces, if it smells like Crayola crayons — and I'm not joking here — it is most likely authentic. There's something about older Louis Vuitton where when it ages, it smells like a Crayola box.<h2 id="348e1926-602e-4964-97be-7adc355ddc2f">Finishing</h2><div type="image" title="A Fendi baguette bag." height="408" width="612" msid="114061764" hostid="261" sizebytes="11238"></div>Considering if a luxury bag is legit could come down to the nitty-gritty — because you must look at the finishings.Does it feel cheap and light, or does the fabric feel luxurious, like someone took the time to construct this properly? Are the seams neat? Do the engravings on the hardware look flimsy and shoddily put together?If you're holding a Fendi baguette bag, does the fabric or leather feel luxurious? Does it feel hefty — and not in a thick, clumsy way? Does it feel tightly woven?The little details go a long way.<h2 id="294f4ffc-894c-4995-a34f-27027dc4f550">Phillips-head screws</h2><div type="image" title="A wrong screw is a telltale sign of a fake designer handbag." height="4008" width="6000" msid="114061772" hostid="261" sizebytes="367286"></div>And finally, the screws are one of the biggest giveaways for high-end bags like those from Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, Fendi, or Gucci.Usually, they're flatheads, so that's what you need to be looking out for. That's a telltale giveaway you can spot that a mile away.If you ever see a Phillips-head screw anywhere on a bag, just say, "Nope. No, thank you. I'm done. Goodbye."

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