The Beauty industry is nothing if not dynamic.
From 4,000BC, when ancient Egyptians lined their eyes with kohl, to the roaring 20s, World War Two, and the modern era of cosmetics, the Beauty industry has adjusted time and time again. Following the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic, this adjustment was tested to the limit. Stores closed, and we ditched the lipstick in favor of masks, and splurged on hand sanitizers over hand creams. Morale was low, “maskne” was high, and more than ever, we craved the feel-good factor.
But how to shop for our favorite cosmetics, when so many of our purchases are sensory-driven? How does one find the perfect shade through a laptop screen? Or receive the right advice from someone actually trained to help you look your best?
Well, all is not lost – thank goodness for technology. In honor of National Beauty Week, and the tentative unveiling of our masks, let’s take a look at how Emplifi’s live commerce solutions have helped change the beauty-buying world.
Live video shopping
Live video shopping, or livestream shopping, has accelerated significantly in the last year due to the pandemic. Store closures led to the craving for humanized assistance in a time when we were more isolated than ever. At Emplifi, we worked with some of the world’s biggest retailers to implement HD-video technology that directly connects customers to in-store specialists. Customers can receive advice, test out products and ask all the questions they want in real-time.
For the Beauty industry, live selling was a massive part of keeping sales afloat and jobs secure during the pandemic. As we emerged from it, this demand has seen no signs of slowing down.
Introducing two-way video
It’s widely accepted that over 70% of all communication is non-verbal, and we all know that people buy from people.
This is why Go Instore (now Emplifi) launched a two-way video functionality for one-to-one interactions in 2021. With this feature, users can turn on the camera for an interactive video experience, allowing the advisor to see the customer in real-time.
Two-way video facilitates effective, trusted relationships with an in-store advisor. Customers are supported throughout their buying journey, leading to high conversion rates and enhanced customer satisfaction.
Two-way video is a feature especially pertinent to the Beauty industry. Why? Because Beauty specialists can give their customers live advice on shades and texture, and offer professional opinions that lessen the chance of returns and increase buyer trust in the company.
Two-way video will also be valuable for many other Retail verticals. For example, a customer shopping on a clothing site may want the opportunity to ask a live expert’s advice on what style of jumper is best suited to them. Or, customers shopping in the home improvement industry may wish to show their surroundings to an advisor to help them advise on what may fit in the space.
To learn more about Emplifi’s two-way shopping feature, and how our live commerce solutions (part of our Social Commerce Cloud) can help your brand increase customer satisfaction and drive business results, be sure to book a demo today with an Emplifi expert!
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on goinstore.com. Any statistics or statements included in this article were current at the time of original publication.
