Beauty shoppers say brands don’t know them well enough

A survey by Red Ant found that 74 per cent of today’s beauty shoppers say brands don’t know them well enough to make the right recommendations.

The survey offers valuable insight into the direction of the market and what motivates beauty customers to buy. The majority (74 per cent) of consumers said that they agree that retailers don’t seem to have access to enough information about them and what they like. 18 per cent of that number state that they believe retailers are focused on selling products rather than finding out what they need.

The increasing value of cosmetics within everyday lives are shown in the survey findings, as most of the beauty customers surveyed buy products at least once a month (53 per cent), with more than half (51 per cent) seeing them as a necessity that they can’t do without. This means that it’s essential that brands truly understand their beauty customers – how they shop, how they feel and what they want from their experience.

The research also highlights customers’ desire for personalisation, ranking the top 5 things that beauty brands should know about them to be able to offer relevant and budget-related deals:

1. Skin type and problem areas to be recommended the right product
2. Budget and usual spend to be recommended offers and products within the price range
3. Previous purchase history, to receive reminders of products on offer/back in stock
4. Suitable colour preferences and palettes
5. My customer history, to benefit from any loyalty offers

With annual revenue exceeding £75 billion worldwide and market growth at over 16 per cent, beauty and cosmetics continue to be big business, bucking the trends for slower growth experienced by other industries. Post-pandemic investments in luxury in-store beauty are driving the need for more immersive experiences, such as clienteling, where store associates guide consumers through their browsing and buying experiences online and in-store, alerting them to new product launches and events, and making data-driven recommendations based on previous purchases.

Sarah Friswell, CEO at Red Ant said: “To identify what consumers understand about data-driven customer experiences, we asked our respondents how they felt about retailers’ ability to make the right recommendations for them.

“Beauty shoppers want brands to do the work for them and advise suitable products for their skin and skin tone. For the first time, cosmetics for men has been raised as an area for consideration, with a focus on their need to be seen, heard and made welcome as part of the shopping experience. Retailers looking to engage customers across the ever-broadening spectrum of beauty shoppers should be ready to elevate their in-store experiences with comprehensive clienteling and intelligent insight which will deliver the personal touch for every customer at every stage.” 

Wizz Selvey, a Top 100 Retail Influencer and leading consumer and retail trend analyst said: “Getting closer to the customer and being able to offer them a truly personal experience is at the heart of increasing engagement, conversion and loyalty. This is especially true for beauty customers – they’re looking for something they just can’t get online, and Red Ant’s survey shows that they really care about being made to feel special when they visit their favourite brands.”