The global beauty industry has always been known to survive any economic crisis. The COVID-19 recession has affected almost every industry worldwide. Millions of workers were pulled out of their jobs, and the economy of most countries rapidly declined. Fortunately, some industries have survived through e-commerce. It’s amazing how almost every industry is adapting to our current situation. As face-to-face interactions are limited and avoided, even the medical sector made use of this technology.
Will the beauty industry survive the pandemic?
Buying beauty products has always been an interactive process. People are used to trying testers before purchasing a particular product. However, the lockdowns and other restrictions imposed on non-essential goods prevented people from going to physical stores. Sadly, some of these stores permanently went out of business.
The beauty industry has a broad scope. Aside from the services, skincare, haircare, body care, and makeup products fall into this category. That said, makeup products had a decline in sales while skincare products had a spike in sales. Self-care has been the trend during the pandemic, and the time that was given during home quarantine was perfect for it.
The sudden rise in wholesale Korean skincare influenced more and more people to start their beauty business, as these wholesale e-commerce sites offer competitive prices. Some experts connoted that what is happening is the same as the lipstick effect.
The consumer behavior shift
People became more interested in overall health and wellness during this time, explaining the skincare sales spike. Most consumers are also starting to seek skincare products with natural ingredients, which Korean skincare is most famous for. Numerous beauty influencers’ contents should also be considered since most consumers get enticed because of these beauty vlogs.
Change in makeup products preference
The pandemic has required us to wear face masks to protect ourselves from the virus. Women tend to use less makeup during the work from home setup as they feel it as unnecessary to wear heavy makeup at home. It’s unfortunate news for women who love to wear makeup because only half of their faces are visible. However, they cannot give it up quickly. They started focusing on eye makeup, but it is not significant enough to keep the makeup category at bay.
How did the beauty industry adapt to COVID-19?
The beauty industry has long been active in e-commerce platforms. Most beauty brands have already established their e-commerce sites even before the pandemic started. As people began to buy more products online, beauty sites offered different promos to their consumers, such as:
- Subscription boxes – these boxes are recurring packages that contain beauty products of your choice. Some sites even offer samplers which are also paid for by the consumers. Many people go for these subscription boxes because it makes their purchases more manageable. Some packages go for three months, six months, or even a year.
- Unique product bundles – beauty sites want their consumers to think that they are getting the most out of their money. Like the bundles you see in supermarkets and other stores, it is made to make the consumers spend a little less than they should, making them want to buy it even more.
- Exclusive membership benefits – almost every e-commerce beauty site offer membership nowadays. You just have to pay the membership fee to unlock the perks and special services they offer. This deal is perfect for women who often shop beauty products online because they can get numerous membership discounts.
- Free shipping deals – everyone loves these free shipping deals, especially if it has to be delivered internationally. This strategy will never be obsolete in e-commerce because it is an excellent deal for heavy online shoppers. Sometimes, these beauty sites even offer free shipping even for a total of $100 worth of purchase.
Final Thoughts
The pandemic and the beauty industry will not share good memories, but thanks to e-commerce, they did not take a hard blow during this challenging period. Nothing can be sure, but it could be less complicated with close observation and studying consumer behaviors over the years. With the development of COVID-19 vaccines, the beauty and e-commerce industry is facing a bright path in the next few years.
About The Author
Jim Pullman
Jim Pulman has extensive knowledge and experience in Home Building, Construction, and Design. He writes articles in his free time and partners with content creators to share his expertise with the online community. He is also passionate about automobiles.
