Beauty shoppers call for more personalised experiences as new survey reveals insights into consumer needs

Many of today’s beauty shoppers say brands don’t know them well enough to make the right recommendations, according to a survey by retail technology specialist Red Ant.

74% of consumers feel that retailers don’t have access to enough information about them and what they like, with 18% of this number also believing that retailers are focused on selling products rather than finding out what they need.

This comes as 53% of those surveyed buy beauty products at least once a month, with 51% seeing them as a necessity that they can’t do without.

As a result, Red Ant believes it's essential that brands understand their customers - how they shop, how they feel and what they want from their experience.

The research also highlights the desire for personalisation, revealing the things brands should know about beauty consumers to be able to offer relevant and budget-related deals. These include:

• Skin type and concerns to be recommended the right product.
• Budget and usual spend to be recommended offers and products within the price range.
• Previous purchase history to receive reminders of products on offer/back in stock.
• Suitable colour preferences and palettes.
• Customer history to benefit from any loyalty offers.

Sarah Friswell, CEO at Red Ant, said: “To identify what consumers understand about data-driven customer experiences, we asked our respondents how they felt about retailers’ ability to make the right recommendations for them.

“Retailers looking to engage customers across the ever-broadening spectrum of beauty shoppers should be ready to elevate their in-store experiences with comprehensive clienteling and intelligent insight, which will deliver the personal touch for every customer at every stage.”