New frontiers of the sharing economy: an Italian case study applied to luxury products

The present study contributes to enrich the literature on luxury in the field of the sharing economy by examining a new form of luxury consumption. In recent years, there has been a growing interest of consumers in rental commerce, consequently, their perception of luxury has been strongly affected by the rise of new emerging economic models (e.g. sharing economy), such models have modified the concepts of luxury and accessibility, which are no longer considered poles apart. Through the case study of Sisterly, an Italian start-up that proposes a digital platform for luxury bag rental, this research aims to investigate mainly two aspects. On the one hand, it identifies the relevance of some drivers, such as sustainability, temporality of experience, and economic benefit, which lead consumers to prefer a paradigm of access over that of ownership of luxury goods in the context of the sharing economy. On the other hand, the study analyses the role of digital in reaching and influencing the target. Furthermore, the present study will investigate the various communication strategies that businesses can adopt to influence the consumer, and in this regard the role of the English language in advertisements; especially the different connotations it carries and how it influences brand image. In order to achieve the research objectives, the study makes use of both a qualitative and a quantitative method. Specifically, the start-up Sisterly will be analysed through the case study method, and a questionnaire with the constructs and measurement scales useful for the research will be administered to a sample of Italian consumers.