RETAIL EXPERT ADVICE
EXPERT ADVICE
How can beauty retail up its game in 2022?
With customers expecting instant gratification, Outform provides its tips to make the omnichannel buying experience as seamless as possible
S
imon Hathaway, MD EMEA at global agency Outform, says convenience remains central to beauty shoppers’ needs and explores how to better use data to improve the buying experience both online and offline.
What are consumers now looking for from a retail experience? With global apps like TikTok ramping up social commerce capabilities to buy quickly and seamlessly, instant gratification is fast becoming a cornerstone of loyalty. Customers want shopping experiences that are accessible anywhere, whether it’s in-store or online.
But shoppers want to be remembered by their chosen brands and retailers when they jump to a new channel too. After all, they don’t consider online and offline to be separate, and neither should retailers. Shoppers want connectivity that allows them to browse on a high street, then checkout through their phones at a later time. While convenience remains instrumental in how consumers shop, it’s not the only factor retailers should consider. Outform’s research discovered that 50% of UK shoppers see in-store testing as influential to purchase decisions when it comes to cosmetics and beauty.
How can we better synergise the online-offline experience? Beauty retailers need to facilitate a ‘digital handshake’, blending the data from multiple channels – ie webstore, social media, apps – to create a 360° view of each customer, their shopping habits and product preferences. Those falling short of this will struggle to give the same premium experience as a retailer that knows their shopper from the second they open a website or walk into a store.
Of course, this requires convincing shoppers to share their data. And it’s not
cosmeticsbusiness.com
Simon Hathaway, MD EMEA, Outform Simon Hathaway is MD at Outform EMEA – the global agency working with some of the world’s leading brands to give people reasons to visit stores time and time again
www.outform.com
advantage of online data is to connect it in-store. Smartphones are a powerful touchpoint that most retailers still haven’t maximised; integrating QR- codes that give exclusive information, and apps with buy-now capabilities, can help collect data that still serves a customer’s best interests.
always easy. Data sharing is a transaction within itself, which puts the onus on brands and retailers to demonstrate where the value sits for their customers. But it can pay off if they do so: almost a quarter (23%) would cede data if they could see the benefits. Bespoke loyalty schemes, discounts, exclusive access, and a frictionless way to share this data can soon encourage this change of heart from shoppers.
How can the online side of the experience better collect & deploy consumer data?
The most efficient way to take ‘
Smartphones are a powerful touchpoint that most retailers still haven’t maximised
Using this data to understand what customers habitually buy can be transformative for day-to-day grooming regimes.
What can beauty halls do better to engage customers while remaining Covid safe?
32% of UK consumers are much more likely to buy from a brand that’s personalised to them, meaning tailored experiences are going to be the linchpin of beauty halls going forward. They’d be wise to reimagine themselves as luxury- style set-ups with one-to-one sessions. But this should roll out in tandem with touchless technology, ensuring that those cautious of handling products still feel safe. And while AR is becoming a mighty power in beauty commerce, just 21% of consumers would say it informs a purchase.
With shoppers having returned to the high street, what has changed since pre-pandemic? With beauty and personal care shopping heavily informed by picking products from shelves to compare against other brands, cleanliness is going to be a key consideration for a long time. But the way we engage with beauty products has altered and will continue to shift with the rise of QR-codes and AR, which offer new ways of discovering products without having to touch them. But we shouldn’t assume that the pre-pandemic beauty hall is a relic, given that 47% of customers missed physically interacting with products in the sector. Additionally, more than three in ten enjoy the community element of shopping
November 2021 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
