That's a fair point, but it basically was kept off the website, wasn't it? -- I know the heart bag was never available on the website, and could only be purchased through a SA/available on purchase history and loyalty to the brand. Other bags MAY sporadically pop up on the website but we don't know how many of those orders are fulfilled/cancelled - could also be that intermittent reinforcement at play to keep people hoping they'll score it. Hermes does this on their website too, where they show bags are available but upon check out (mostly) are not.... frustrating but keeps people hoping and refreshing, thereby increasing their (at least) engagement with the brand.
of course there are differences between LV and hermes, as I was quick to point out, in the sheer price differential between B/Ks and the heart bag, but it could possibly be a bit of the Hermes philosophy at work...keep in mind Hermes also has cheaper options available (the evelyne, which i would argue is the Hermes version of the neverfull in this analogy, is only about $2k or so)
could also be they wanted to use the North America market as a tester for this kind of thing, explaining why Asia got a lot more of the heart bag (asia makes up the majority of its profits, I believe, and it would be a much bigger risk to test that market). again, all speculation and more than willing to discuss further
Not the person you responded to, but I would argue the opposite is true. The rest of the world is the tester, and USA is the hardest market to succeed in. Lots of companies and individuals do well outside of America, but fail the moment they enter the American market. Android phones and windows computers/laptops are technically the most used platforms globally, but Apple is king in the US. Uniqlo wanted to surpass Zara as being the most successful fast fashion brand, but they bit off more than they could chew when they over-expanded in the American market. International music, film, and tv artists may have hits in America, but rarely do they ever gain sustained success. Americans vary in their interests, so to have someone or something that appeals to a lot of Americans, who are willing to spend the money too, can be a difficult task to achieve.
LV has a tendency to release more exclusive items in Asia too, especially Japan. If LV wanted to give the heart bag to their more loyal customers, it makes sense to me that more were alotted to Asia then. The wage gape in Asia is much larger and more extreme than the wage gap in America. Middle income families in most Asian countries would fall under the poverty line in the US. The people in Asia who can afford luxury items can afford them quite comfortably, and to some high degree/frequency.
If a Chinese family owns factories for global companies, you can bet they are buying A LOT and often. To LV, that is a very loyal customer.
I had a classmate in uni whose family owns factories where Converse, Apple, and luxury products are made. She would buy $1000 worth of luxury makeup every two weeks. New bags from multiple luxury brands would be purchased monthly, along with rtw luxury clothes. At the end of the season, she would sell all the things she didn't like anymore for a tenth of their cost... That is how financially insignificant most luxuries meant to her.
Aesthetically, I would say most East-Asian influenced art and culture prefer representational art and objects, like a cat salt and pepper shaker. To many westerners, objects like that would be considered kitsch and in poor taste. LV just distributed the heart bag based on where they believe it will sell better, and I think they made the right call. Most American consumers value practicality. A lot of Americans may appreciate the look of a heart bag, but only a handful will purchase. It's similar to how most Americans can appreciate intricate jewelry, but very few will actually buy them, because they feel they can't wear it outside of formal events.
I almost gave up on this one. I'm officially self-banned from buying anything else for the rest of the year.
