In this ever-expanding age of technology, Sephora is taking advantage of the many new ways to promote their brand digitally. From mobile applications to skin-color-recognition devices, Sephora is focusing on differentiating itself from its competitors.Johnna Marcus, director of digital and mobile marketing, said Sephora’s “strategy is and always has been about providing the best shopping experience regardless of where the customer is.” Sephora has developed iOS apps for the iPhone and iPad; the different devices have apps with different features.
While both apps stress the importance of shopping being convenient for customers, the iPad app goes much more in depth. It has articles that focus on current beauty trends; the hope is that a customer will read the article and be motivated to buy a product. The iPhone app, on the other hand, has a barcode scanning feature. The customer can scan a code on a product in the store and see reviews, ratings, and other information about the product.
In addition to the incorporation of mobile apps, Sephora’s website has been upgraded. Earlier this week, Sephora launched its new site, focusing on personalizing shopping for the customer. Customers can choose to let Sephora track their searches and purchases, and when they go into the store, salespeople can use that data to help them make another purchase.
Sephora and Pantone LLC, a company known worldwide for its technology for the accurate communication of color, partnered to create Sephora’s most innovative technological advancement yet: Color IQ. Sephora calls Color IQ “the most advanced foundation matching tool in North American beauty retail.” The Color IQ system consists of a device that scans the surface of your skin and selects, out of Sephora’s thousands of foundations, the color that perfectly matches your skin.
In taking advantage of all of the different kinds of technologies available, Sephora puts itself ahead of its competition. While some companies are struggling to adapt, Sephora is thriving. Will their use of technology revolutionize the beauty industry? Only time will tell.
-Zarah Mohamed
