Merely two months ago cosmetics company Beauty Bliss was awarded New Zealand's top "pureplay" company (purely online Internet retailer), but now the site's founder Toni Barrett is moving into the physical with the launch of her first bricks and mortar store.
Renowned for its fast delivery and exclusive lower-priced "indie" make-up brands, the business' strong online customer base gave Barrett the confidence to dip her toes into a physical retail store. After testing the concept on some pop-up stores, Barrett now has a permanent location in Auckland.
The decision to blend the "clicks" with "bricks" was to ensure Beauty Bliss maximised its visibility. On top of this, it gives customers the ability "to touch, smell and try on products. Once they've found their perfect match, many are then comfortable re-ordering online," Barrett explains to Stuff.
She goes on to reveal: "I received a Snapchat from some customers camping out at 9.30pm on the Friday night before the store opening. They were still there with their sleeping bags and camping chairs when we opened the doors at 10am. The launch was a great example of how online helped the physical store - we didn't advertise about the opening, we just posted on Facebook where we have more than 56,000 likes and included a mention in our newsletter."
The store layout will differ from a traditional set-up, with the majority of floor space featuring the businesses' click and collect service and back-office operations in full view. "We want to really hit home that we're an omni-channel store. Just because you're shopping on Willis St today doesn't mean you can't then shop on the website at night. In a sense we never close. We're not a big faceless machine, we're a small New Zealand business that's dedicated to bringing Kiwis gorgeous cosmetics at fantastic prices."
Barrett is now looking for further store locations around Wellington and Auckland, with an Australian website also under development.
Image: Instagram.com/beautyblissnz
