20 May 2017 | beautystorebusiness.com
Cutting-edge technologies that provide an enhanced customer experience.
by Manyesha Batist
Imagine a beauty store where customers are greeted by a robot that offers to direct them to specific products and answers their detailed questions. Imagine an
online beauty store where customers have no need to go in-store to test products because its augmented-reality system allows them to test products without
leaving the comfort of their home. And so they digitally try on and then purchase their products, confident that they will complement their skin tone. Imagine your beauty store being equipped to pick up on customers’ behaviors in ways that help you better support their shopping habits and product considerations.
22 May 2017 | beautystorebusiness.com
Enter “user experience design,” also
called UX, which includes today’s retail
technology. The goal of UX within the
beauty retail space is to enhance customer
experience, whether online or in-store, in
ways that bring greater ease and delight
to the shopping experience. It can involve
reducing the number of clicks it takes for
a customer to make an online purchase
to equipping your brick-and-mortar with
digital signage and touchscreen kiosks.
There are far too many retail technolo-
gies to list them all here, and the options
continue to grow and evolve. In this
introduction to UX, we cover five of
today’s most relevant retail technology
categories for your beauty store coming
in the near future.
AUGMENTED REALITYAugmented reality, also known as “AR,”
is a technology that allows customers
to try on products digitally and make
purchases with confidence before ever
actually touching the product. AR is dif-
ferent from virtual reality in that virtual
reality produces computer-generated or
artificial environments. AR, on the other
hand, overlays one’s actual physical
environment with digital data. ModiFace
apps, for example, use patented AR
technology to allow users to experience
makeup, hair and skin options in live 3D.
As users look into the app, they can see
how specific colors of lipstick or eye
shadow, for example, blend with their
skin tone, much like what they would
see while applying makeup in the mirror.
“At the end of the day, it’s a worthy
investment because augmented reality
has been proven to increase sales for
retailers,” says Lindsay Boyajian, chief
marketing officer for Augment, which
offers augmented reality solutions.
“ModiFace reports that its virtual makeup
mirror is increasing sales by 31 percent.”
AR enhances customer experience by
providing personalized interactions with
products, such as matching foundations
to skin tone. It also keeps customers
engaged with a retailer’s product, such as
when a customer tries multiple lipsticks—
which is likely to lead to a larger pur-
chase. “For retailers, augmented reality
helps drive online and in-store conver-
sions,” adds Boyajian. And for shoppers,
“it also removes the headache of having
to return products because something
online looked different when it arrived
at their door.”
DIGITAL DISPLAY & TOUCH-BASED SOLUTIONSSpeaking of customer interaction and
engagement, digital signage and touch-
based systems also encourage customer
attention and foster interaction. An illustra-
tion of these types of interactive solutions
might look like the following: A customer
picks up a lipstick, which triggers a digital
screen to present options she may want to
explore, such as product information or an
index of topics or even videos demonstrat-
ing how the lipstick can be applied as a
gloss, eye shadow or even blush. Such
technologies help foster a greater depth of
knowledge and experience with products.
“I think this is probably one of the
best ways to use technology in beauty
retailing. Up to now, we’ve really only
had printed signage or takeaways that
could show some benefit; but by using
interactive touch systems, we can show
the whole story of what a product can do
for customers long-term,” says Nathan-
iel Zich, president of Interactive Design
Labs, which designs, engineers, installs
and supports digital and touch systems.
Interactive technologies also allow
retailers to discover information about
customers that they weren’t necessarily
interested in sharing. “[We] integrate
with shoppers’ natural behavior, which is
to pick up a product. (Touching a product
actually makes them 40 percent to 60 per-
cent more likely to purchase),” says Jamie
Mandor-Glassman, vice president of mar-
keting and business development at Perch
Interactive, which offers interactive retail
display technology. “Perch is able to read
customers’ natural interaction with the
product, respond with dynamic content
and then report out metrics on everything
customers are doing.”
APPSIt’s plausible that every single one of
your customers has downloaded mul-
tiple apps and uses at least one of
those downloads regularly. Apps allow
retailers to interact with their custom-
ers both in and outside of the store. For
example, certain apps can be used to
notify customers of in-store promotions
as they enter the store. Some apps can
even tailor promotions to the individual
customer. So, if Customer A generally
buys a specific skincare product from
your store, the app will notify her of pro-
motions specific to her purchase history.
“Customer engagement leads to cus-
tomer retention,” says Kevin Schrage,
digital marketing manager for Bizness
Apps, which builds apps for small busi-
nesses, including features such as loyalty
programs, health and beauty diagnostic
tools, reviews and more. “According to
Rosetta Consulting, highly engaged cus-
tomers buy 90 percent more often and
spend 60 percent more per transaction.
Mobile apps allow you to keep custom-
ers engaged with loyalty programs, push
notifications, targeted promotions and
more. You can also provide them with
information about your products and
services right at their fingertips.”
Engaging the customer includes
delighting the customer—one of the
characteristics of UX design—and this
is what the Chic Sketch app does for
customers. The app was cofounded
by Emily Brickel Edelson, a published
fashion illustrator, fashion designer and
entrepreneur, and Jordan Edelson, who
is also founder and CEO of Appetizer
Mobile, a NYC-based app develop-
ment firm and the parent company
behind Chic Sketch. The app gives cus-
tomers an opportunity to receive their
very own beauty illustration, whether
through an uploaded picture or via
“striking a pose” at a live in-store event.
The sketch is hand drawn on a digital
tablet and time-lapse video allows the
customer to watch the stroke-by-stroke
creation of her beauty illustration as it’s
being drawn by the fashion illustrator.
But don’t let the fun fool you. This app
has the power to lure customers into
your store and have them promote your
products. As an example, Sephora and
Allure partnered with Chic Sketch to
sketch customers who got their makeup
done with a new Lancôme product.
“Chic Sketch is changing the game in
the way beauty products are shared on
social media. Instead of a more forced
and sometimes sponsored YouTube post,
guests are sharing their beauty looks in
YouCam’s application is a good example of augmented reality where customers can see what the makeup looks like on themselves before they make a purchase.
Example of Chic Sketch fashion illustration.
24 May 2017 | beautystorebusiness.com
new and genuine ways. Everyone does
the selfie to promote product; we just
elevate it!” say the Edelsons.
Perfect Corp.’s YouCam Makeup app,
on the other hand, aims to increase
the trial rate of beauty retailers’ prod-
ucts, extend their social reach and gain
deeper insights about customers via its
app, which uses augmented reality and
facial recognition technologies to give
customers real-time makeovers on their
mobile devices. “Our platform also helps
beauty brands extend their social reach
as users can create their own unique
makeup looks using virtualized branded
products, then share that complete look
socially for others to try on their own
faces,” says Adam Gam, vice president
of marketing for Perfect Corp.
Some larger beauty retailers are
already on board with these advanced
technologies and are using them to
their advantage. The Sephora app,
which is among the most popular and
effective beauty retailer apps, allows
customers to shop at their convenience
via mobile, book in-store appointments,
try on beauty products digitally, receive
exclusive promotions and peruse
beauty content for inspiration. Its com-
prehensive features both delight and
inform its customers.
KIOSKSAllowing customers the immediate grati-
fication of information at a moment’s
notice, store kiosks may be a worthy
investment. “Kiosks can provide a wide
array of information, from basic pricing
to product pairings and style guides to
virtual try-ons. They enable retailers and
brands to repurpose rich web content
and enable self-service or guided selling
techniques,” says Alex Goodwin, vice
president of marketing and cofounder of
Aila Technologies, which offers a com-
prehensive set of in-store devices, from
associate handhelds to customer-facing
kiosks. “Virtual try-ons using augmented
reality not only reduce the amount of
sampling-related product shrinkage, but
can also increase cart size by recom-
mending complementary products.” Gam
of Perfect, which offers the YouCam
Makeup Kiosk, adds, “The self-serve
function allows retailers to serve more
customers during peak times.”
STEP INTO THE RETAILING FUTURE
Here’s a list of companies that are ready to set you up with several of the technologies featured in this article.
Aila Technologies offers a comprehensive set of in-store devices, from associate handhelds to customer-facing
kiosks. All of its products leverage Apple’s familiar device and are designed to be aesthetically pleasing to fit within
a beauty store, but durable enough to withstand real-world use. For more information, visit ailatech.com.
Appetizer Mobile can help you develop a customized mobile app. It is an award-winning digital and mobile
development agency that also offers consulting and marketing. It helps businesses generate new revenue channels
and maximize their ROI. For more information, visit appetizermobile.com.
Augment is marketed as offering the only augmented reality (AR) e-commerce software development kit (SDK)
solutions available for both native mobile app and web integrations. The solutions allow shoppers to try products
in life-like AR at home before buying. Augment’s SDK solutions allow companies to embed AR product visualization
into their existing e-commerce mobile apps or websites. For more information, visit augment.com.
Bizness Apps builds mobile apps for small businesses. Its offerings include drag-and-drop app-building features
loaded with options, including loyalty programs, push notifications, booking systems, health and beauty diagnostic
tools, an online store, reviews and content/gallery features. For more information, visit biznessapps.com.
Chic Sketch mobile application allows retailers to offer customers added value during store events
and promotions. The app provides customers with an opportunity to upload a photo of their beauty
look to be sketched by Chic Sketch illustrators through which a digital beauty sketch is made
available. Customers can then enjoy their digital beauty sketch and share it with friends and
family via social networks, which in turn fosters an emotional connection with retail brands.
Chic Sketch has worked with beauty brands—including Sephora, L’Oréal and Lancôme.
Beauty Store Business readers get 10 percent off their purchase throughout May by
using the code BeautyBiz10. For more information, contact [email protected] or
visit chicsketch.com.
Interactive Design Labs (IDL) designs, engineers, installs and supports digital and
touch systems. Some of its offerings include digital signage, touchscreen kiosks and interactive displays. IDL also
assists in design creation from the ground up or troubleshoots design difficulties. For more information, visit
interactivedesignlabs.com.
Perch Interactive is a flexible, interactive retail display technology that unites digital content with physical products
in-store to engage customers and analyze their behavior. Its offering allows retailer and brands to bring highly
sought-out information, such as product details, reviews, complementary products, how-to videos and much more,
into the store environment in a seamless, cost-effective way. For more information, visit perchinteractive.com.
Perfect Corp.’s YouCam Makeup app features augmented technology, live
3D virtual makeup and real-life color and natural makeup effects on video.
The company helps retailers increase their trial rate for products, extend
their social reach and learn deeper insights about customers. Retailers
interested in trialing the app can download it for free: http://bit.ly/225R9f7.
For more information, contact [email protected] or visit
perfectcorp.com.
RetailNext is an in-store analytics provider, delivering insights such as which part of the store customers are
most drawn to and what percentage of people walk by a fixture/area and dwell there. Its patented platform uses
best-in-class video analytics, Wi-Fi detection of mobile devices (including Bluetooth), data from
point-of-sale systems and other sources to inform retailers about how customers engage with
their stores. For more information, visit retailnext.net.
Stella Connect is a tool that enables brands to collect real-time feedback after every customer
interaction. The product works by triggering feedback requests after phone, email or live chat
interactions. For more information, visit stellaservice.com.
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26 May 2017 | beautystorebusiness.com
ANALYTICSAnalytics tools, whether via mobile,
kiosk or some other means, equip retail-
ers with the information they need to
draw customers back to their stores
again and again.
“Having a tool that constantly captures
customer feedback, while simultaneously
creating deeper customer connections is
important for beauty brands focused on
driving repeat purchase and long-term
customer loyalty,” says Alex Vlasto, vice
president of marketing for StellaService,
which offers Stella Connect, a tool that
enables brands to collect real-time feed-
back from customer interactions. Stella
Connect gathers customer information
via feedback requests that are triggered
by phone, email or live interactions with
customers. “Subjective insights from
customer feedback, for example, can
be used to help develop training pro-
grams for front-line team members,”
adds Vlasto.
RetailNext, an in-store analytics pro-
vider, uses Interior Analytics to show
retailers what areas of the store cus-
tomers are most drawn to and track
the percentage of people who walk by
a fixture or area and dwell there. “We
can also map SKUs to fixtures and get
dwell conversion, which is the number
of times a SKU is purchased divided by
the number of times someone dwelled
at the SKU’s location. This can point
out opportunities with the product.”
This type of information helps retailers
determine which products to dedicate
limited “real estate” to, adds one of
RetailNext’s directors of retail consult-
ing, Lauren Bitar.
THE EVOLUTION OF BEAUTY RETAILINGToday’s beauty consumer is in constant
interaction with technology, via a mobile
phone, laptop computer or another con-
nected device. She relies on its con-
venience and immediate gratification.
And she depends on it for the expansive
information it offers her. All of its “smart”
features save her time, money and
energy. And retail technologies offer
her those same benefits. They enhance
her shopping experience. Beauty retailers
are no longer competing for just product
RetailNext’s in-store analytics provides retailers with valuable information determining how customers engage with their stores.
“Having a tool that constantly captures customer feedback is important for beauty brands focused on driving repeat purchase
and long-term customer loyalty.”Alex Vlasto, Vice President of Marketing for StellaService
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28 May 2017 | beautystorebusiness.com
offerings; they’re competing for customer
experience—to see who can deliver the
experience that keeps beauty customers
coming back for more.
“Customers have more choice now
than ever,” says Cos Bar CEO David
Olsen. “They are smart, they are savvy
and they have high expectations. It’s
difficult to get a new customer but very
easy to lose a customer. So for Cos Bar,
having the best-in-class omnichannel
experience is critical to our success and
is part of our DNA.” The beauty retailer
has been staying ahead of the curve. It’s
currently testing out Stella Connect in its
stores and is in the process of rolling out
RetailNext into its entire fleet. “As we
grow, it’s important for us to be armed
with data to better inform our strategies
and decision-making,” says Olsen. Cos
Bar is also upgrading its mobile checkout
and has plans to integrate touchscreens
with product recommendations.
THE FUTURE
Remember the pictures painted for you
at the beginning of this article, detailing
a beauty store with a welcoming robot
and customers who could test products
without leaving their home? Well, that’s
elementary compared to Zich of Interac-
tive Design Labs’ vision of the future of
beauty retailing. Imagine this: As you
walk into the store, your phone recog-
nizes that you’ve visited a store that’s
connected to an app on your smart-
phone. The app pushes a notification to
the home screen of your phone, letting
you know that there’s currently a promo-
tion on the product you typically buy.
You walk through an aisle of haircare
products with a touchscreen that’s play-
ing a loop of a woman’s hair and a timer
showing the difference in color treatment.
As you stop to watch, it says: “Watch it
happen to your hair in real time.”
A small camera on the top of the unit
begins to track your motion and applies
a color filter to be able to see how your
hair could look with the treatment. You
can change the colors and shades of your
hair. At the bottom right, there’s a tab to
view a current special that’s running. You
can’t resist trying the product out, so you
add it to your basket and head to your
original product destination.
As you walk toward the point of sale
(POS), you notice a small digital display
for a new sunscreen that loops through
the ways that the product protects your
skin. You stop and watch the video and
grab a product sample.
Minutes later, you’re at the register
with extra products in hand, checking
out on a POS system that is tracking
those products for which you’ll receive
an email two weeks later (from your
sign-up at your last visit) reminding you
that you might be out of those products
and that there’s a “bundle discount”
waiting for you.
If the system detects that the email
has not been opened, a text message is
sent letting you know that you might be
out of those products, and it links you to
the nearest store to purchase more.
There’s your beauty-retailing future. ■
Manyesha Batist is a freelance journalist
based in Denver, CO.
Stella Connect collects real-time feedback
after customer interactions.
Visit demertbrands.com or call us at 1.813.903.0434
PERFECTING BEAUTIFUL HAIR