# Luxury brands are missing their most loyal customers > Wealthy enthusiasts who buy through gray markets and resale channels stay invisible to luxury brands, but three strategies can bring them into direct relationships. - Title: Luxury brands are missing their most loyal customers - Summary: Wealthy enthusiasts who buy through gray markets and resale channels stay invisible to luxury brands, but three strategies can bring them into direct… - Keywords: luxury brands, customer loyalty, omniloyal clients, gray market, pre-owned market, customer relationship management, retail strategy, business, management, Luxury, brands, missing - Source: Harvard Business Review — https://hbr.org/2026/10/the-loyal-customers-your-luxury-brand-is-overlooking - Author: Lewis Lim - Published: 2026-10-19T12:05:54+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: luxury brands, customer loyalty, omniloyal clients, gray market, pre-owned market, customer relationship management, retail strategy, business, management ## The invisible loyal customer Luxury brands focus on very important clients, or VICs, who spend heavily. But omniloyal clients, who own numerous products, advocate online, and know brand history deeply, often buy through gray markets, resale, or overseas retailers… ## What makes them different Omniloyal clients value depth of engagement over spending power. They seek discontinued or vintage products, know brand history and craftsmanship in detail, and prefer access to expertise and connection with fellow enthusiasts over lavish perks. ## The gray market opportunity European consultancy Omnia Retail estimates gray-market sales account for about eight percent of the two hundred forty-three billion euro global personal luxury goods market, roughly twenty billion euros, or twenty-three billion dollars. ## China's gray market alone China-based luxury intelligence firm Re-Hub estimates China's luxury gray market is worth as much as fifty-seven billion dollars, including purchases made abroad through surrogate shoppers known as Daigou. ## The pre-owned market size Bain and Company values the global luxury pre-owned market at least fifty billion euros, or about fifty-eight billion dollars, roughly fourteen percent of the three hundred fifty-eight billion euro global personal luxury goods market. ## Secondhand fashion and luxury A Boston Consulting Group and Vestiaire Collective study of seven thousand eight hundred consumers puts the global fashion and luxury secondhand market at two hundred twenty billion dollars. ## Third-party retail channels Authorized third-party channels including travel retail may not share customer data with brands because of commercial agreements, local regulations, or privacy rules. ## Strategy one: owner communities Luxury brands should map independent owner communities, both formal clubs and social media networks, then build relationships with organizers. Support them through co-hosting events, offering members meaningful access, or helping finance activities. ## Panerai's community approach Swiss-Italian luxury watch brand Officine Panerai collaborates with the Paneristi, a network of watch-owner communities spanning thirty hubs worldwide, and co-organizes an annual gathering known as P-Day, welcoming collectors regardless of where they bought their… ## Strategy two: certified pre-owned Luxury brands should operate certified pre-owned programs themselves, sourcing used products, reconditioning and authenticating them, adding warranties, and reselling through their own networks. This brings previously unknown owners into their CRM systems. ## Porsche's pre-owned model Porsche's Approved Pre-owned program uses a one hundred eleven-point inspection and brand-backed warranty, giving buyers confidence to pay a premium while bringing enthusiasts seeking rare older cars into direct relationships with the brand. ## Strategy three: stores as museums Luxury brands should turn stores into experience centers or mini museums, devoting less space to merchandise and more to storytelling, discovery, conversation, and immersive experiences that attract omniloyal clients seeking connection and knowledge. ## Macallan House example Scotch whisky maker Edrington opened Macallan House in Singapore in twenty twenty-three and Hong Kong in twenty twenty-four. ## Future value of omniloyal clients Omniloyal clients already know and support the brand, possess meaningful spending power, and require less education than new prospects. Some may become tomorrow's VICs as they grow older, advance in careers, or improve financially. ## Key takeaway Luxury brands overlook omniloyal clients who buy through alternative channels, missing growth opportunities by failing to build direct relationships with passionate, knowledgeable advocates.