\'Showrooming\' on the rise
Practice of visiting a retail outlet and then buying online is now spreading to beauty
‘Showrooming’ - the practice of visiting a retail outlet and then going home and buying online - is now spreading to the beauty market, according to a recent poll from The Premium Market Report and YouGov.
“Women in the 25-44 age group appear to be playing each channel off against the other,” said the report’s author, Imogen Matthews. “24% of women aged 35-44 say they check out products and prices in the shops, then buy online, compared to the average of 17%.” Conversely, the internet is fast becoming important as a place to browse for fragrance and beauty information before buying, especially among certain age groups. The research discovered that 23% of women aged 25-44 browse the internet for information before buying, compared to the average of 19%.
“As consumers become more savvy and value-conscious, they are seeking out the best deals, whether they be in the shops or online,” says Matthews. “We found that 25% of women aged 25-34 think that premium beauty and fragrance is cheaper online than in the shops. “These findings are significant as they point to a real change in women’s premium beauty shopping habits. Online and offline are becoming equally important.”
The full report is available from www.imogenmatthews.co.uk.