BW Confidential - Issue #10 - May/June 2012 - (Page 33)

Retail technology Insight: Skincare Getting results Will the introduction of new technology at the point-of-sale boost the category? by Alissa Demorest T alk about selling skincare with any beauty brand and the conversation very quickly moves to service—or lack of it—at the pointof-sale. Too many products that are difficult to explain and not enough BA training are constant refrains. But some industry players are asking whether new technology could help solve some of the service problems. French skincare brand Ioma founder and ceo Jean Michel Karam comments: “Technology has to be a part of the retail experience today, especially given the generation of new consumers that are so connected. The world is changing and the cosmetics market needs to move with the times. Technology will help us fight the migration of consumers from selective pointsof-sale to other channels,” he remarks. Ioma, which is sold at perfumery chains Marionnaud and Beauty Success in France, as well as in department stores Harrods and Saks in the UK and the US, has three patented skincare diagnostic tools for use in retail and in treatment rooms. The tool measures the consumer’s skin properties and then generates a skincare regimen based on the results. When the consumer returns after using the products, she can be tested a second time to compare her skin ‘before and after’. Karam believes that the brand’s Ioma Link tool, which launched in April, is set to “wake up the point-of-sale”. The tool makes a diagnosis in just three minutes, generates a product regimen and can communicate with the aesthetician in the treatment room to recommend a specific treatment. The customer’s loyalty card can also be swiped into the system to give purchase history. More technical tools Another sophisticated analytics tool to enter the market is Genalysis. Earlier this year UKbased company geneOnyx signed a license to May-June 2012 - N°10 - BW Confidential use Genalysis, a technology created by tech company DNA Electronics to provide on-site genetic testing for skincare. The consumer provides a saliva sample on a Q-tip and the DNA material is analyzed and sent to a cloud database. The database examines the “ We’re seeing an increasingly global consumer—women are traveling more so we’ve invested in language tools in all of our departmentstore counters that feature our bestsellers and the brand’s philosophy Estée Lauder svp global marketing Charisse Ford relationship between fixed genetic mutations and active skincare ingredients to determine how the consumer’s gene pool can metabolize those ingredients. This means that the beauty advisor can recommend products based on the consumer’s genetic profile. “This techno- ” logy is ideal for a consultative setting, ideally a branded standalone or a department-store counter,” explains DNA Electronics ceo and chairman Chris Toumazou. US tech company Modiface, which first launched with virtual makeover technology, has also entered the skincare fray with its new anti-aging visualization tool. The unit allows consumers to preview a product’s results on their skin (based on clinical tests) using instant facial recognition technology. Beyond diagnostic tools, US-based marketing company The Young Group ceo Karen Young says that technology will be to be used to inform consumers. She sees more retailers offering stations featuring tablets for consumers to access in-depth product information. “Skincare is a very confusing category. As a consumer, how do you sift through thousands of skus? This is part of what is inhibiting growth and impeding retailers. It’ll become an expectation at retail for the shopper to have access to unbiased information,” she explains. Doing devices Skin devices or hand-held tools used in conjunction with brands to help sell a product or demonstrate it at the point of sale are set to take on more importance. This is one reason why L’Oréal purchased Pacific Bioscience Laboratories and its facial cleansing device brand Clarisonic in 2011. L’Oréal Luxe n n n 33 credit: istock

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BW Confidential - Issue #10 - May/June 2012

Cover
Comment
Contents
Update
- Brand & retail news recap
- Companies on the move
Take note Market facts, figures & trends
Best of BW Highlights from our e-publication
Launches The latest in fragrance, skincare & make-up
Interview Clinique global brand president Lynne Greene
Insight: Skincare
- Category overview
- Retail technology
- Retail viewpoint
- The latest trends
Wellness
- Spas & healthcare
- Spa case studies
Retail
- Inspiration from Apple
- Store concepts
Market watch: China
- Country overview
- Industry viewpoint
- Prestige retailing
- Taobao & the internet
Digital focus Social media strategies
Strategy spotlight Case studies to inspire
Travel retail: Asia Pacific
- Regional overview
- India
- Interview: Delhi Duty Free Services coo Arun Barathi
Radar Six up-and-coming beauty brands
Packaging
- Make-up packs
- Innovation showcase
Last word Metis Insights director Stéphanie Morou

BW Confidential - Issue #10 - May/June 2012