In these months, the Beauty Prestige sales among distribution channels have been radically transformed by new consumers’ habits and needs. The rapid growth of e-commerce, already in evolution in pre-pandemic times, but irremediably favored by the lockdown period, has underlined different dynamics in the online and offline channel. According to many, these are incompatible, but over the months, the market has been highlighting the synergies between the two channels.

The selective perfumery is one of the segments that best highlights the symbiotic relationship between online and offline sales. Sylvie Cagnoni, Beauty Head of NPD Italia, has outlined the global evolution of the relationship between e-commerce and retail during the round table “BEYOND THE E-COMMERCE: NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NEW WORLD ERA” organized at OnBeauty by Cosmoprof the past 9th September.  

Different is the situation in the UK and Germany, for example: here, the penetration of e-commerce has more historical roots, because the channel was already developed in the months preceding the pandemic. “Today, we have reached a very high level, especially in the UK, with 50% of the revenue of the selective perfumery generated by online purchases: this, however, also represents a negative figure, as it derives from a situation of weakness of the retail channels, more than from an total success of e-commerce”, highlights Cagnoni. “Once this situation of crisis related to restrictions has passed, it will be necessary to return to more sustainable levels for the category.”

Spain and Italy complete the European context, with the lowest penetration percentages mostly caused by the peculiarity of distribution establishments, but also by the considerable digital delay. “Overall, the penetration of e-commerce has very much changed and remains globally varied, on the basis of each countries’ characteristics. What is certain is that the on- and offline worlds are complementary, and will become more and more connected thanks to the new consumers’ multi-channel habits”, concludes Cagnoni.