In a move to remain top-of-mind with consumers, Sephora has revealed its latest in-store innovation that cleverly utilises the success of much-hyped, digitally-native beauty brands.
Always the front-runner when it comes to inventive merchandising initiatives, Sephora will again attempt to attract more customers with its Next Big Thing fixture – multi-branded shelves that showcase the best new beauty brands on offer.
Having launched into Sephora Times Square in June, the section will be rolled out across the US in over 100 stores before Christmas.
"It's the first time we've had this sort of very dedicated, multi-branded space that is going into all stores," Sephora chief merchandising officer Artemis Patrick told Retail Dive. "The biggest difference really is the scale, because it's not about just, like, 50 doors here or 100 doors here, it's really in every single store. It allows a destination and sort of a constant destination for our clients to know."
The retailer is currently working on scoring exclusives for Next Big Thing, or bringing on brands that only have limited distribution. This will help all stores maintain a sense of newness, Patrick said.
"Exclusive and limited distribution brands and products have always been part of our strategy. We do believe that the client does come to Sephora to find the latest, hottest, newest trends," she said. "If there's an amazing, innovative product from a brand that's not exclusive and our client is asking for it, we believe we're here to serve the client, and of course, we would offer that as well."
Patrick believes that Sephora's in-store beauty advisors are what differentiate it from its competition – brands like Ulta Beauty in the US. The retailer makes a particular effort when building a relationship with brands it brings on board, and this extends to educating store staff on which products to recommend and how to apply them.
Said Patrick: "Our brands are like family to us. We sit in the kitchen with them, we partner on product type, on marketing, on education and content. We're in it for the long game. So that and again, the incredible amount of education that our beauty advisers get on product. The passion that you feel when you walk into a Sephora store — I think that's a huge advantage."
Next Big Thing follows last year's Clean at Sephora initiative that featured beauty brands with safer ingredients. Both initiatives aim to attract beauty brands that have a story to tell; their unique point of difference and what their innovation is in the product type. "All those things are really, really, really critical, regardless of whatever the trend is," Patrick said.
