Real luxury comes with very specific attributes: rarity, craftsmanship, consistency, and a level of service that feels almost unreasonable in its attention to detail.

Yet today, everything is “luxury”: clinics, burger joints, car washes, mid-scale hotels. And it’s a problem.

Here’s why misusing the word hurts your brand:

•You overpromise and underdeliver. Guests arrive expecting a Four Seasons moment and get a decent three-star experience. That gap becomes disappointment, bad reviews and broken trust.

•You attract the wrong audience. High spenders quickly realise it’s not truly luxury and never return. The middle segment feels “this isn’t really for me” and stays away.

•You hide your real strengths. Maybe you’re actually smart value, stylish and accessible – but the “luxury” label makes you sound generic and unrealistic.

Instead of forcing the L-word, be precise:

•If you are about value and quality → say “premium everyday” or “accessible quality”.

•If you are about design and experience → say “boutique”, “design-led”, “curated”.

•If you are about speed and convenience → say “seamless”, “frictionless”, “on-demand”.

Use words that match what people actually feel when they visit you.

So when can you credibly use a luxury proposition?

•Your pricing sits at the very top of your category.

•Your product or service is limited, rare or hard to access (waiting lists, small production, invitation-only).

•Your service is deeply personal – you know names, preferences, histories.

•Every touchpoint – product, packaging, space, communication, after-sales – is consistent and meticulously considered.

•You build long-term relationships, not one-off transactions.

If you don’t truly serve the top of the market, that’s fine. There is huge profit and pride in being premium, smart, honest and accessible.