Skin care is one of the key beauty concerns and all buyers want more information, which is prompting them to look to their screens for information and guidance, which can help shape beauty buying behaviour.
According to new research by Diagonal Reports, the skin care consumer not only asks more questions but also a different range of questions than other beauty buyers because of the greater complexity of their problems and the extensive selection of solutions and brands available.
Therefore communication with the consumer is key so that they can understand exactly what differentiates one skin care product and brand from another and how these specific formulations will enhance skin appearance.
Tutorials
This is where mobile devices step in, particularly through tutorials, which are fast-becoming the best way to inform and influence skin care purchasing behaviour.
“The video tutorial has become the prerequisite for selling premium skin care products,” says Diagonal. “It allows the consumer to learn about the innovative anti-ageing brands which enjoy higher profit margins.”
“Tutorials are also crucial to selling the many different products used in complex and multi-step regimes, widespread in Asian beauty cultures.”
Dialogue importance
These days mobile devices and social media help facilitate one-on-one consumer dialogue and engagement, giving answers in real-time; and this has been the driving force behind the technology.
This is because it has revolutionised expectations of information and transformed how brands are evaluated by most consumers, as dialogue cannot be as controlled as before.
This means it should not be under-estimated by beauty firms and the skin care segment in particular, as it is the dominant driver of the beauty market.
The skin care category now accounts for one third of global beauty sales, according to Diagonal figures; and will continue to grow due to changes in consumer behaviour and demographics, which means that connecting with buyers on-screen has increased significance.
“Today's teenagers will shortly be tomorrow's anti-ageing skin care buyers and their use of screens will transform what and how skin care is bought,” concludes Diagonal.