To beat the price hike hundreds of South Korean shoppers risked it all in the pandemic and formed serpentine queues outside Chanel stores


Seoul loves shopping and even fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections won’t stop them from buying a luxury bag before their price hike. That’s exactly what happened in the South Korea capital when more than a hundred shoppers waited in line outside a Chanel store shrugging off concerns about contracting the virus in order to beat the impending price hikes by the French luxury brand. Constant online speculations of luxury brands increasing their prices by heavy margins have been doing the rounds for a while. Louis Vuitton already did it so why won’t Chanel follow suit? This prompted face-masked shoppers to arrive as early as 5 a.m., forming a closely spaced queue. Lined-up customers received a numbered entry ticket ahead of the store opening at 10:30 a.m. Lee Ji-yeon, 54, said she arrived at the store about 7:30 am and that her future son-in-law is waiting at another department store to buy a Chanel bag for her daughter as a wedding present. It’s common practice among South Koreans to gift luxury bags for weddings. People want to purchase luxury products now before prices increase and they only continue to increase every following year.

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Not just luxury brands people are flocking outside stores wherever the pandemic rules are relaxed. Remember pictures of the coffee-loving Japanese flocked together outside a Starbucks that went viral on the internet? One would think news of more than 100 new COVID-19 cases linked to nightclubs in Seoul would stop them from shopping Chanel but that isn’t happening. Chanel public relations confirmed the price hike in Seoul stating its headquarters in France raised prices on Monday, and that prices will increase in all of its markets. Nevertheless, it is not worth the risk!

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[Via: Reuters]

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With over 15 years of experience in luxury journalism, Neha Tandon Sharma is a notable senior writer at Luxurylaunches. Her expertise spans luxury yachts, high-end fashion, and celebrity culture. Beyond writing, her passion for fantasy series is evident. Beginning with articles on women-centric gadgets, she's now a leading voice in luxury, with a fondness for opulent superyachts. To date, her portfolio boasts more than 2 million words, often penned alongside a cappuccino.