Luxury brands have long marketed themselves around a narrative of heritage, craftsmanship, and exclusivity — often anchored in prestigious manufacturing hubs like France and Italy. However, a quiet shift has been underway, and Premier believes 2025 will mark a decisive turning point.
Today, world-class production capabilities have expanded beyond Europe. China, once considered a lower-tier manufacturing hub, has evolved into a powerhouse of high-end craftsmanship — particularly in leather goods and fine manufacturing. Premier’s mystery shopping insights reveal that more and more luxury products are now produced entirely in China, often with quality that matches or even exceeds traditional European benchmarks.
The Changing Perception of “Made in China”
Gone are the days when “Made in China” was equated with lower quality. Premier’s on-the-ground observations show that China’s manufacturing ecosystem has mastered the intricacies of luxury production:
• World-class tanning processes for leather goods.
• Precision stitching and finishing that rivals traditional European ateliers.
• Superior supply chain efficiency without compromising craftsmanship.
As China’s capabilities have risen, many luxury houses quietly shifted full-scale production there, even while continuing to market European “heritage” as a selling point.
This transparency gap is beginning to erode some of the mystique associated with legacy luxury brands.
What This Means for Mystery Shopping
Historically, mystery shopping for luxury brands focused heavily on validating the aura of exclusivity, evaluating craftsmanship, and ensuring consistency in the storytelling at the point of sale. But Premier sees that emphasis beginning to shift:
• Product craftsmanship mystery shopping will decrease in importance because production quality is now globally standardized — especially from Chinese facilities.
• Customer experiencev (CX) mystery shopping will gain significant importance.
• Evaluating how well store associates communicate brand values beyond product origin.
• Auditing the in-store and online emotional experience that luxury brands now must deliver to sustain their pricing power.
Why Customer Experience and Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Models Will Matter More
Premier anticipates that tariff disputes, supply chain localization pressures, and consumer awareness about manufacturing realities will intensify in 2025.
In this environment:
• Brand loyalty will no longer hinge on the myth of European-made goods but on the quality of the experience delivered.
• DTC experiences (both online and offline) will become critical battlegrounds.
• Mystery shopping programs will need to focus far more on:
• Digital experience audits
• Omnichannel customer journey mapping
• Emotional resonance and personalized service delivery
Luxury brands that adapt — those who shift from product storytelling to experience storytelling — will emerge stronger.
Premier’s Forward Vision
At Premier, we are already adapting our mystery shopping methodologies to reflect these new realities:
• Our evaluations are evolving to capture moments of truth in the customer journey.
• We are deepening our capabilities around digital retail audits, personalization effectiveness, and emotional engagement metrics.
• We believe the future of luxury brand health lies not just in what they sell but in how they make their customers feel at every touchpoint.
As the landscape changes, Premier remains committed to providing brands with the intelligence they need to thrive in the next era of luxury.
