Gucci parent Kering moves to tighten grip on e-commerce

FILE PHOTO: Francois-Henri Pinault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of French luxury group Kering, Group Managing Director Jean-Francois Palus and Jean-Marc Duplaix, Kering Chief financial officer, attend the annual news conference of Kering at the company's headquarters in Paris, France, February 12, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

PARIS: Kering, owner of brands including Gucci, will tighten its grip on its e-commerce operations, focusing on its own branded sites to sell its luxury products or ventures where it can control its image and client data.

After shifting into online shopping later than more accessible fashion labels, many luxury groups are now investing heavily in e-commerce while working on ways of retaining as much control of distribution and pricing as possible – two elements that help them maintain their aura of exclusivity.