“The heaviest cosmetics shoppers demonstrate no brand loyalty, purchasing more than 8 brands on average and shop at more outlets than lighter buyers,” says TABS group founder and CEO Dr. Kurt Jetta.
The findings have been published in the research company’s latest report, Consumer Value study, which underlines the fact that most consumers say they prefer to shop for cosmetics at stores that offer good value.
“The bottom line is that more deals lead to more sales, particularly among the heaviest buyers who have no loyalty to specific brands,” Jetta added.
What consumers are buying and where
The report contains detailed information from a survey conducted by TABS that included 1,000 women and 250 men between the ages of 18 to 74, who were asked about the types of beauty products they purchase, as well as the frequency of their shops and what kind of retail outlets they went to.
They also asked consumers to identify beauty trends that they had identified, including BB creams, nail care treatments at salons and the influence of social media on their beauty purchases.
Based on the data it accumulated from the survey, the TABS team estimated that annual cosmetics sales in the US, excluding skin and hair care products, currently tops around $12 bn.
Millennials top average cosmetics spend
On average those consumers surveyed purchased seven different brands throughout the year, with the majority of consumers paying between $5 and $20 per item.
However, the data also showed that millennials, who have repeatedly shown to have higher spending power these days, paid an average of 25% for their cosmetics compared to other age groups.
Finally, the results showed that the biggest US retailers, including Walmart, Target and Walgreens, continue to dominate overall cosmetic spending in the nation, although there is no evidence of consumers having loyalty with anyone retailer.