The beauty consumer is: 'On' or 'Off'?

At the 'Digital Beauty Summit' organized by the Beauty Cluster experts in the field presented their vision on the evolution of the consumer in the 'beauty' sector

Editorial
13 of October of 2022
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'Digital Beauty Summit'
'Digital Beauty Summit'

We could say that the change experienced in the two last years had not been able to predict. The growth that bore the on-line trade during the months in which the confinement extended by almost all the globe, went something extraordinary and that did that, independently of the age, the consumer knew, or at least, intuited, in that it consisted the ecommerce.

Thanks to Internet the consumer can be better informed that the own seller, and knows the characteristics of the product that wants more than the own commercial. Besides, when attending to an establishment, the consumer looks for also an experience in his purchase, a gratification that can that it do not obtain if it bets by the on-line option.

This, went a subject that debated in the round table of the past 22 September in the first edition of the 'Digital Beauty Summit', organised by the Beauty Cluster. In this first debate of the day, moderated by Lluís Rodríguez of Bella Aurora Labs, exposed the different visions of some of the companies on how was the consumer of beauty, on or off? In her, they participated Irma Ugarte (Regional Marketing Direction of LVMH), Fernando Esteban (Rituals Cosmetics), Rosa López (Kantar), Elena Borrás (L'Oréal Luxe) and Camila Torres (Puig).

Go back to the shop

Irma Ugarte, exposed his experience of LVMH in Latin America, where explains that the retail is expanding with strength, thing that in Spain, happens absolutely the contrary and indicates that in LVMH follow trying look for this differential degree that do that the consumer finds a reason more to go back to the establishments: "The retail has gone back with strength and is leading the growth (In LATAM) In Spain, happens the contrary. Really in the world retail, in this case the perfumery, are doing the necessary work to do that our customers want to come to the shop? we are offering Them This differential experience?"

On the other hand, Fernando Esteban, explained that all the companies would have to value the time that employ the consumers in going to the physical establishments, and that from Rituals, try that all customer journey finish with a smile and a feeling of satisfaction in those that visit the shops: "What gives us the consumer when it approaches to our shops? His time, that is the most valuable and something that will not go back to recover. A lot of retailers do a work of respect, gratitude to the customer for leaving advise by us. There is q achieve that it go out always with a smile, buy or no in our shop."

Adapt or die

In some surroundings in which the companies have to obligatorily have a capacity of reaction practically instantaneous and an adaptability to the immediate context so that not wasting neither an opportunity. Camila Tomás, of Puig, did reference to this: "The consumer does not know what is pure player, omnichannel. It will triumph what see the consumer that is looking for. These changes require a lot of agility of change and slope a lot when the company is old and is accustomed to the point of sale. The challenges of the consumer answer better in the point of sale that in the on-line." When we think in challenge or challenge for the companies, to all comes us something in command: Covid-19 and confinement. Both, put to a lot of companies between the ropes and forced them to adopt a model of business based in the on-line sale for his own survival. Like this it explained Irma Ugarte how did in LVMH and how has impacted in the actuality: "we had to be quite agile in two weeks, identify to the expert improvements of make-up to help to the on-line consumer. The consumer is the same, and his expectations are the same, but can not them satisfy of the same way, it is necessary to adapt to the possibilities that offer you the channels." Rosa López, of Kantar, added that: "Now, the consumer combines on-line and physical channel. The on-line channel created market only during the pandemic."

Data and omnichannel 

Elena Borrás, of L'Oréal Luxe, opened another nine front with his intervention, and is that the on-line consumer, still generates a lot of uncertainty by the ignorance that surrounds him. It is very difficult to know how is, what want to or needs: "Have the common aim to have an only integrated experience in any point of contact that has the mark with the consumer. Still we are not able to offer an experience 100% customised because there is a barrier that is to identify to the consumer in 'on' and in 'off'. The key is to convince to the consumer of a totally conscious way that yields us his data." On the relation (or symbiosis) between data and omnichannel, to achieve this last, would need try to diffuse to the maximum the differences that there is between the two marketing venues. Camila Tomás manifested his experience and opinion on this: "The big chains that have cards of loyalty are unable to connect data. It is necessary to identify to the consumers of way no intrusiva. Boots, Douglas, Sephora… The omnicanalidad worked the day that the data are very integrated. Those that do it very well are those that are born digitally."

The next revolution: the metaverse

As no, to finish, in a day devoted to the digitalisation, could not leave overlook something that inside very little will go in of full in our lives like consumers: the metaverse. "The metaverse is in a moment of 'hype'. It will arrive and will turn into something interesting" commented Elena of L'Oréal Luxe. "When the metaverse was a world aspirational, was real, there will be a so big evolution as when it arose Internet", aimed Irma Ugarte.