On a recent shopping trip to her local Ulta beauty store, Tatiana Clarke spent $160 worth of cosmetics, including Clinique sunscreen, three shades of foundation, Baxom lip gloss, Shiseido eyelash curler, and NYX eye primer. , potions, and tools. It didn’t cost me any money.
Her strategy isn’t magical and doesn’t break the law. Clark calculated her savings by combining store mileage points earned from her shopper program with coupons she received via email.
Specialty stores are just one way makeup enthusiasts like Clarke, a stay-at-home mom from Fairfield, California, treat themselves on the cheap. Shoppers are taking advantage of changes in the beauty industry to get discounts that were once unheard of.
Specialty stores like Sephora and Ulta Beauty use loyalty programs and apps to keep customers informed of the latest deals. On the other hand, some shops offer freebies. MAC Cosmetics gives out free lipstick when a shopper returns her six used MAC containers to the store. If you shop enough, online shoppers can often save money by skipping shopping her trip to the mall and earning free shipping.
“Consumers are shopping across multiple channels,” said Larissa Jensen, a beauty industry analyst at market research firm NPD Group.
No wonder sales at department store makeup counters have fallen 19% over the past decade, according to market research group Euromonitor International. Wall Street is watching. In a recent preview of Macy’s earnings, UBS analyst Michael Binetti expressed concern about the profitability of his counter for make-up, saying that “recent price cuts in cosmetics (one of the last industry resistances due to over-promotional ),” he wrote.
Sales of independent makeup brands soared 42.7% in 2016 alone, as department store beauty aisles struggled. And the brands that have long been seen on beauty counters are still growing. Prestige makeup, or cosmetics considered high-quality, made him $4 billion in sales in the first half of 2017, up 5% from the same period last year, according to NPD.
The difference is that makeup fans are no longer confined to department store prices or counters that serve only one brand. Sales at specialty makeup stores, where shoppers can browse multiple labels at once, have increased 20% since 2006. Rather than building loyalty to brands, shoppers align themselves with specific values, such as their favorite ingredients.
“Consumers don’t shop like that,” said Jensen. “Consumers have all the information at their fingertips through social media, blogs and specialty stores. I am shopping at
In an NPD survey, 7 out of 10 consumers said makeup from drugstores and specialty stores was just as good as makeup from designer department stores. It’s a decorative showroom and a scavenger hunt-like thrill to find new things that draws customers into the physical store.
“Specialty stores offer a completely different shopping environment,” says Jensen. “Many retailers are taking steps to make their brick-and-mortar stores a better experience for consumers. This is what they are looking for.”
In New York City’s Koreatown, Heather Schultz finds skin care products and affordable eyeliner at stores like Nature Republic and Tony Moly. The store is lined with colorful displays full of panda bear hand his creams and kiss-shaped lip scrubs.
“Tony Moly is full of cute characters,” said New York-based Rockville Center. “That’s definitely part of the charm.”
At Lush Cosmetics, shoppers watch as beauty specialists slice and mix fresh products right in front of them. Shops that encourage visitors to try on products and share their experiences on social media are also fan favorites.
“There’s an excitement of discovery,” said Jensen. “Some of these independent brands consumers have never heard of.”
For 21-year-old Sarah Cameron, a new product launch might prompt her to try it out at her local beauty counter. But most of the time she prefers to shop online.
“I feel the pressure of having to shop at the store,” said this Orlando, Fla., student, skipping face-to-face makeup for YouTube makeup tutorials.
Online sites such as Colourpop, Glambot, All Cosmetics Wholesale and Overstock offer discounts on luxury brands such as NARS, Estee Lauder, Dior and Tarte. The Internet also offers consumers a wide range of custom products, including organic, health-conscious, natural, and cruelty-free.
I have friends who pair up with groupsets to save money. Glossybox allows customers to shop online and get a box full of goodies delivered within days for free.
“Buying a kit can save you a lot of money,” said Chelsea Fordiani of Sausalito, Calif., who wears makeup when performing burlesque. can.”
However, department stores do not go bankrupt without a fight. Earlier this summer, department stores such as Lord & Taylor, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s announced that they would be cutting prices on cosmetics for the first time in an effort to keep up with the competition.
“Lord & Taylor is competitively priced and regularly offers deep discounts and discounts on the top brands our customers love, including cosmetics,” the company said in an official statement. I’m here.
But NPD’s Jensen thinks department store price cuts are a mistake.
“It’s a slippery slope,” she said, referring to an NPD study that found that while many millennials prefer lower-priced brands, young consumers are still willing to pay for luxury goods. rice field.
Consumers tend to dictate trends more than stores, so promotions alone may not be enough to win back former loyal customers.
“Brick-and-mortar department stores are definitely not dying,” Jensen said. “But they need to reinvent themselves to stay relevant.”
