Online shopping has slowly overtaken much of the traffic that physical retail has had since the rise of the internet. That said, there are a few industries that have held out against the influence of online spaces.
Makeup is one of the few industries that has done well with physical retailers. Customers who would be applying these products to their faces are more likely to see these products and try them out in person than to guess through a screen.
Regardless, times have changed. While it can certainly be noted that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical retail, one of the other major reasons for the increase in use of online retail is the ease of access. Physical locations cost space and maintenance, to provide customers with an ambiance that would make them want to stay and look around.
While online retailers lack the handy assistance of in-person staff, they don’t have to worry about long lines or stock limitations. Additionally, online retailers have the advantage of connecting customers with beauty products that are hard to find, including products from outside the United States.
Realistically, the one thing online retailers can’t beat is the in-person experience customers can get, but even that could be in jeopardy with the rise in AI. Recently, many beauty companies have seen the potential of AI technology in giving customers a more customizable experience.
In a similar vein to other retailers, AI technology is being increasingly used to advertise products specifically catered to customers based on their purchase history and other collected data information. It is a dangerous precedent that companies are increasingly willing to follow through, solely on the potential revenue they could earn.
