How E-Commerce is Changing Small Beauty Brands
The world may have stood still because of the pandemic, but this is not the case for small beauty brands. Online stores did not only rise above and beyond at the pandemic but also thrived. This made the whole beauty industry as a collective increase their market sales up the roof in 2020. Thanks to E-Commerce, small businesses can keep their sales afloat. Electronic commerce does not only keeps small businesses alive, but also changes the business models of beauty brands. From digital products to online shopping, here are some ways E-commerce changed the face of small beauty brands:
Wider Reach
Physical stores can help entrepreneurs build their brands by adjusting their aesthetics to their desired image. But the immobility of it can bring downsides. In the past, small businesses were confined to the place where they set up their Brick and Mortar stores. Stores could not reach potential customers in the next town because it was too far. Let alone another country. That limitation did not help in selling goods. It might be easy for big brands to set up franchises, but for start-ups, they had to focus on one area only.
In e-commerce, there is no need to set up a physical store, which also means that there is no more limit to the reach of a store. People can now buy and sell products from different countries, let alone towns.
People can now buy beauty products from different places without having to leave their homes. e-commerce brings a more convenient way of purchasing, and an easier way for businesses to make sales.
No More Samples
In the past, consumers would not buy any product until they could try the tester sample on them. It was the only way for them to see if it was the perfect fit for them. This was especially the case when the items sold are make-up products. This was an essential part of the customer experience. Remember free make-overs on the mall?
Big brands can easily produce samples for outlet stores, but smaller brands can’t spend as much for free samples.
Consumers obviously can’t demand samples in the age of e-commerce and online retailing. Brands can’t ship out testers before they agree to buy products. Online businesses entail trust among the consumer and the seller. Clients have no choice but to trust the quality of the products. They assess if the products fit them based on the models and the description.
It helps small brands to save, and avoid excess production that would go to waste. Sellers can focus on how they can present their products or services online in the best possible way.
One of the ways some brands are extending their services online is by producing an app where clients can see if the products fit them. Some apps ask for a selfie of the client and the app would “apply” the product on their faces as filters.
Inclusivity
Beauty brand collections catered to a more specific type of standard in the past. This specific beauty standard limits the market to a certain category. There was a scarcity of products from women of different colors, and body types. Models of beauty brands’ products would traditionally be from a specific archetype. This alienates a large group of people. Driving them away from the brands instead of engaging them.
With e-commerce dependent on the internet, they can learn a lot from it. The Internet can even help with the selling and marketing of products. Specifically, the brand learns more about the demographics of its market. Small businesses are using different platforms to ask the opinion of their customers. Brands get a better idea of what kind of products they want, and what varieties they would want to see. They don’t even have to conduct a formal survey. Entrepreneurs can simply make use of Instagram polls or Facebook comments to get customer feedback. This helps inform them of their next product ideas.
These marketing strategies make the beauty brands grow closer to their customers. Building trust in the brand and securing loyal customers maintain steady online sales.
Social Media Presence
Beauty brands are not only stores, but they are also social media influencers in today’s business world.
These days, when a beauty brand wants to go online they don’t have to set up a website. Small brands can now set up their stores on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or even TikTok for free. They can endorse their products on these platforms and transact through the account. In fact, it can even enhance their services.
Customers can easily communicate their questions and concerns about the product fast through chats. This is a great help for customers who are not really into interacting with people personally.
Customers nowadays are just as concerned about the ethics and sustainability of the brands as much as they are concerned with the quality of products. Beauty brands, especially the small ones, are expected to produce content that is not only in line with their products in the age of online selling. This is most especially if they want to stay relevant. Brands are expected to post photos, create short skits and other content that are timely.
There are so many online marketing strategies that brands apply to boost engagement and have a wider reach such as posting infographics about a certain product, posting empowerment videos, producing a new song, and many more. Small beauty brands upload ASMR videos of their packaging process of orders in Tiktok.
Influencers as Models
Before the great shift to online, there were hyper-specific rules if one wanted to be a beauty endorser. Models’ images were carefully curated. Everything is refined: from the way they speak to the way they look. They were only heard from at commercials, press conferences, and if lucky in interviews.
In today’s world, the best endorsers for beauty products are social media influencers, and there is a big community for it.
Influencers are the best endorsers for beauty products, whether it’s make-up or skincare they can increase sales of a brand rapidly. Influencers would usually talk about the product on their platform. Their testimonies would often include why they needed the product, what they love about the product and why other people should also buy it. They would even show themselves using the product online – giving more credibility to the quality of the product.
This is why collaboration between influencers and a brand is a trend nowadays. Influencers have a massive following on their respective platforms. Which means their following would immediately be potential clients.
E-commerce is truly changing small beauty brands. It helps these small brands pave their way in their industry. Online retail is giving them a platform and extending their reach to a larger audience. This is a testament to how the sellers adjust to their market. Now that people have crept to online spaces, beauty brands must find their places online too.
