Elle Morris, Chief Marketing Officer, Olberding Brand Family07.19.23
Pre-pandemic, I loved visiting all of my beauty meccas—Sephora, Ulta and Blue Mercury retail stores—and experiencing the thrill of the hunt. What new beauty products were going to catch my fancy and end up in my basket? Then Covid came along and I had to move my shopping to online as did everyone else. Although I missed shopping in-store, I came to rely on peer reviews on social media as part of the online shopping experience.
Covid restrictions eased up ages ago and I live less than a mile from both Sephora and Ulta, yet today, I still do most of my beauty purchasing online—and in fact, most beauty consumers start their journey online and end up in-store. However, the in-store shopping experience still remains a crucial part of the beauty customer journey.
While the online journey is convenient, the in-store experience remains significant. According to McKinsey & Co., 81% of beauty consumers still prefer to purchase beauty products in-store. The in-store experience provides consumers with the opportunity to touch and feel products, see how they add to their beauty repertoire, as well as receive expert advice and product recommendations from beauty consultants. Sephora also uses technology such as augmented reality to provide virtual try-on experiences for customers—engaging them in emotional and sensory ways. And Ulta has created an app dubbed GlamLab, that allows customers to explore the physical story digitally with face-to-face beauty consultations and conversations with Ulta beauty experts.
The beauty customer journey is not complete without tracking. Brands and retailers use a variety of methods to track the journey from online to in-store. One method is through loyalty programs, which track purchases and provide rewards for future purchases. Customer surveys also are important in providing insights into the customer experience. Additionally, programs like Sephora’s “Beauty Insider” allow customers to track their purchases, receive personalized product recommendations, and ultimately help to build brand loyalty.
The beauty customer journey begins online with research and purchasing, but the in-store experience remains critical in the path to purchase. Testing and receiving expert advice from beauty consultants is a part of the journey that cannot currently be widely replicated in an online scenario. Brands and retailers use loyalty programs, surveys, and technology to track the journey and provide personalized experiences for customers. By understanding the sequence of events in the beauty customer journey, brands and retailers can provide a seamless and personalized experience for customers.
About the Author:
Ms. Elenita (Elle) Morris is Chief Marketing Officer at Olberding Brand Family, stewards of consumer-packaged goods brands since 1919, partnering with brands on brand strategy and design, packaging, digital adaptation and pre-media and platemaking. She is a recognized consumer packaged goods brand design thought-leader with particular expertise in beauty, haircare and skincare. Follow Elle Morris on LinkedIn.
Covid restrictions eased up ages ago and I live less than a mile from both Sephora and Ulta, yet today, I still do most of my beauty purchasing online—and in fact, most beauty consumers start their journey online and end up in-store. However, the in-store shopping experience still remains a crucial part of the beauty customer journey.
Tracking the Consumer Journey—From Start to Finish
The beauty customer journey begins online with research prior to making a purchase. According to a survey by Google, 66% of beauty consumers say that they search for information online before making a purchase. This includes researching product reviews, watching tutorials, and browsing social media for beauty inspiration. eCommerce is expected to continue to grow at 12% per year through 2027, according to McKinsey & Co.While the online journey is convenient, the in-store experience remains significant. According to McKinsey & Co., 81% of beauty consumers still prefer to purchase beauty products in-store. The in-store experience provides consumers with the opportunity to touch and feel products, see how they add to their beauty repertoire, as well as receive expert advice and product recommendations from beauty consultants. Sephora also uses technology such as augmented reality to provide virtual try-on experiences for customers—engaging them in emotional and sensory ways. And Ulta has created an app dubbed GlamLab, that allows customers to explore the physical story digitally with face-to-face beauty consultations and conversations with Ulta beauty experts.
The beauty customer journey is not complete without tracking. Brands and retailers use a variety of methods to track the journey from online to in-store. One method is through loyalty programs, which track purchases and provide rewards for future purchases. Customer surveys also are important in providing insights into the customer experience. Additionally, programs like Sephora’s “Beauty Insider” allow customers to track their purchases, receive personalized product recommendations, and ultimately help to build brand loyalty.
The beauty customer journey begins online with research and purchasing, but the in-store experience remains critical in the path to purchase. Testing and receiving expert advice from beauty consultants is a part of the journey that cannot currently be widely replicated in an online scenario. Brands and retailers use loyalty programs, surveys, and technology to track the journey and provide personalized experiences for customers. By understanding the sequence of events in the beauty customer journey, brands and retailers can provide a seamless and personalized experience for customers.
About the Author:
Ms. Elenita (Elle) Morris is Chief Marketing Officer at Olberding Brand Family, stewards of consumer-packaged goods brands since 1919, partnering with brands on brand strategy and design, packaging, digital adaptation and pre-media and platemaking. She is a recognized consumer packaged goods brand design thought-leader with particular expertise in beauty, haircare and skincare. Follow Elle Morris on LinkedIn.
