How does social media influence Gen Z’s customer journey?

How do consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase new brands and products?

E.l.f. Beauty’s “Make up over Makeup” campaign, which launched in May, was a departure from what many think of as creator marketing. The campaign brought creators Chris Olsen, who boasts 12.1 million followers on TikTok, and Ian Paget, who has 2.5 million followers on TikTok, together after their high-profile breakup for a conversation and makeover.

With over 34 million members, Sephora’s Beauty Insider loyalty program is generally regarded as one of the best loyalty programs in the US. To keep customers coming back, Sephora is balancing gamified experiences with the classic rewards that it knows customers like. Here are five tips from Emmy Brown Berlind, senior vice president and general manager of loyalty at Sephora, on how retailers can level up their loyalty programs and deliver a best-in-class experience.

As the dust settles on luxury’s big post-pandemic rebound, high-end brands will have to become savvier and more flexible to meet evolving consumer demands.

Walmart has the largest audience of any digital grocery platform. But our survey found that Amazon Fresh customers were more active and willing to try new products.

Fewer than a third of US shoppers turn to department stores’ websites (31%) or brick-and-mortar locations (24%) when conducting beauty research, according to a May survey conducted by PowerReviews. In contrast, 71% turn to a specialty retailer’s website when researching new products.

US retail and ecommerce sales are getting back to their pre-pandemic growth trajectories, but consumer spending may be stunted amid ongoing economic uncertainty.

Generative AI helps brands distill consumer insights to create personalized products while AR virtual try-on solutions give customers the ability to try before buying. Beauty brands like Ulta Beauty and Sephora are finding ways to draw consumers into their apps with exclusive content or services.

On today's episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss why beauty is doing so much better than the rest of retail, how we've seen the "lipstick effect" play out, and how beauty shopping habits are changing. Then, for "Pop-Up Rankings," we rank our top four beauty brand marketing strategies other retailers can learn from. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analysts Sky Canaves and Carina Perkins.

Cosmetics and beauty make up a nearly $100 billion industry in the US, and next year more than one-fifth of those sales will come from ecommerce, according to our forecasts. In order to win over beauty shoppers, and Gen Z ones in particular, brands need to pay close attention to where their digital ad dollars go. Here are five charts to help you out.

Gen Z consumers of beauty and skincare products are most attracted to brands for their pricing (48%), samples (46%), and sustainability (44%), according to Bolt. Pricing is a bigger influence for older consumers, cited by 61% of those ages 18 and older.

Some 22% of beauty retail sales worldwide will take place online this year, the most of any sales channel, per McKinsey. Physical specialty stores, such as Sephora and Ulta Beauty, will come in a close second (20%), while department stores will rank last (8%).

Every marketer wants to know: What do Gen Z consumers care about? How do they shop? What motivates them to make a purchase?

Social media and TV are the top channels that consumer packaged goods (CPG) consumers use to find new products, but in-store still plays an important role in product discovery. Meanwhile, Amazon and Walmart are fighting to capture share of CPG product searches, though in-store consumers are more likely to turn to Google for help.

We expect US cosmetic and beauty sales to grow 7.6%: While consumers are spending more selectively, they’re still willing to splurge on their favorite items.

To survive the era of subscription fatigue, brands and retailers need to invest in models that bring customers value and convenience.

Britain is looking forward to its first coronation celebration in 70 years—with street parties, socializing, and an extra bank holiday set to give a welcome lift to retail sales.

As sales growth of luxury goods slows in established markets, brands will expand in emerging regions like the Middle East. There, rising wealth among a young population that’s bringing their spending home will boost demand.

Beauty is proving resilient to the cost-of-living crisis as shoppers splurge on premium products to boost their mood and skin health. But it won’t escape unscathed, with consumers already streamlining their beauty regimes and searching for bargains online.