Net-a-Porter will reportedly close its beauty division next year to pivot to an affiliate programme.
The Richemont-owned fashion online retailer will no longer stock beauty products and instead host a vertical on its homepage directing shoppers to affiliate brands.
“Net-a-Porter is launching a new affiliate program for some of the world’s top beauty brands,” the business said in an email seen by WWD.
“Starting next year, customers will be directed to partners’ e-commerce channels to complete their purchases.
“This new program will leverage Net-a-Porter’s award-winning editorial platform Porter and community to drive high-quality traffic to our partners’ channels.”
It has not yet been confirmed which businesses will be part of this new format from Net-a-Porter’s brand roster, which includes Charlotte Tilbury, Hourglass (pictured) and Aesop.
Net-a-Porter launched into beauty in 2013, selling fragrances, cosmetics and skin care from luxury brands such as Gucci, Estée Lauder and Augustinus Bader.
The brand has since reduced the number of beauty businesses it stocks, streamlining it from more than 200 to 67 in 2024.
This has been driven by the business’ ‘new luxury’ project announced in November 2023, which is focused on supporting the retailer’s top-performing brands.
Net-a-Porter’s move is reminiscent of fashion retailer Farfetch, after it shut down its beauty division in 2023.
Farfetch stopped selling beauty products in August last year and closed down its Browns’ beauty division.
It also removed Violet Grey from its portfolio, after acquiring the beauty brand in January 2022.
Farfetch originally launched into the segment in April 2022 and claimed it had struggled to attract and retain beauty consumers.
Cosmetics Business has contacted Net-a-Porter for a comment.
