Since 2006 the beauty manufacturer and retailer has operated a number of boutiques inside the JCPenney stores.
A spokesperson for JCPenney explained the vending machine concept was designed for the smaller stores that can’t support a full beauty boutique.
The ZoomShop is an automated kiosk 7 feet tall and 7 feet wide that offers nearly 50 of Sephora’s best selling makeup, skincare and fragrance products.
Touch screens help the consumer to make their choice of product which is then paid for by credit card.
Small scale test
Although the introduction of the beauty vending machines is a relatively small scale test – in only 20 of JCPenney’s 1,100 plus stores, if successful it could be expanded into more locations from Spring next year.
The vending machines, Zoom Shops, were developed by Zoom Systems which operates with a number of well known brands in a variety of locations.
According to the company, Zoom Shops combine the best of online shopping with the immediacy of traditional retail.
Machines represent all the brands
The vending machines are designed to fully represent the brands and each Zoom Shop is customised with signage, graphics and TV and web content that fits the brand being sold.
In this way consumers can be sure the product they are purchasing is of the same quality and has the same product guarantees as one purchased from a usual retail outlet.
Products from consumer electronics brands such as apple and sony can be found in the Zoom Shops at airports and malls as well as retail outlets, but how the ZoomShops will perform on products that consumers would often test before purchase remains to be seen.