Superdrug targets online consumers
in the booming online cosmetics market with the December launch of
its new website, Superdrug Online.
Following the success of Superdrug stores across the UK the company has decided to broaden its consumer base and branch out by retailing the best selling cosmetics, fragrance and gifts products online to UK residents.
Superdrug intend to exploit the market by doubling the amount of product lines available online in the next year. They will promote these products, and the launch of the website, with online banner advertising and a search engine announcement.
'A selection of our best selling brands will be online, including Gosh, MeMeMe, Rimmel and Revlon' a spokesperson told CosmeticsDesign.Online shopping is expected to increase rapidly this holiday season as Verdict, a market research company predicts that 4.5 per cent of total Christmas purchases in 2006 will occur online. Increasing consumer demand for ease and convenience when buying cosmetics has prompted an influx of leading cosmetic manufacturers to target the trend.
MAC, Clinique and Superdrug are amongst the many cosmetic giants that have created or updated their online stores in recent weeks in a bid to capitalise on the expanding industry that, according to Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) is expected to reach £42 billion (€61 billion) by the end of 2007.
Gerry Murphy, marketing director of the company said: "We've spent the last 18 months preparing for this launch, ensuring that we are giving customers exactly what they want from their new Superdrug site. We'll offer the usual product mix, great prices, fast delivery and add a bit of Superdrug fun with expert advice and beauty tips".
Customers are offered a 10 per cent discount voucher to be used on products purchased from the website as an incentive to access the online forum during the launch period in December.
'We are serious about e-commerce and are expecting to deliver well over 100,000 Superdrug beauty boxes to customers in the next 12 months. Our forecast is for online sales to then double by the end of 2008' Murphy said.
A spokesperson for the company said that there are no imminent plans to branch out into the European or US markets as yet, however, they are continually in talks with new cosmetic manufacturers in order to keep their customers up to date in the ever diversifying cosmetics market.
