The Inkey List introduces swap-and-save feature to cut customer costs

As customers look for ways to cut costs, The Inkey List has launched a new swap-and-save feature to help with 'Smarter Skincare'.

The Inkey List is addressing the current economic downturn by quietly launching a new online service to help customers cut their beauty costs. Smarter Skincare can be accessed via “AskInkey,” a chat function on the brand’s site, or by direct messaging the brand on Instagram.

The digital feature, which was announced on Instagram, allows people to share their current product routine and then receive recommendations from The Inkey List about which products to keep and which ones to swap for own-brand alternatives.

Smarter Skincare emerged from meetings with the team behind AskInkey, which launched in April 2020 and has now served three million people.

Colette Laxton, Co-founder and CEO, said: “The Smart Skincare service is like a financial advisor for beauty... A customer can come every six months and [share with us] what they’re using and their goals, like opening a toiletry bag and going through it with an AskInkey advisor.”

This is not the first time The Inkey List has soft-launched digital e-commerce features. In 2021, the company debuted a 24/7 customer service hotline for customers looking to receive advice from skincare professionals.

Mark Curry, Co-Founder and Lead Chemist, added: “When times get tough and people are more conscientious of money, [price] does become more prescient on their minds... we have not specifically [highlighted] our value positioning as luxury products at affordable prices in this way. This is a way to connect our brand DNA about knowledge — being smarter is not only about knowing the ‘why’ or ‘how’ of skin care.

“We want to be the go-to brand that sees people through tough times, and that means being there where they usually shop, on dot com, as well as showing up socially and in service of [customer] needs and building trust.”