It is now possible to get your beauty goods without even leaving your home with high-street brands and online companies providing a wide range of cosmetics all in one convenient online store.
Since the pandemic started over a year ago, people have been forced to do their shopping online due to restrictions and mass shops closing for long periods, taking regular customers out of their comfort zone of trying products before buying them. Now all of a sudden, customers have had to make their minds up about which product is best for them just by looking at a detailed description online.
This leads to the question: has online shopping made it easier or harder for shoppers to buy products without actually testing them first, and will they hurry back to the shops once restrictions start to slowly lift.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each side.
Chapter Overview
Wider Range Of Products
The beauty & cosmetic companies that have inventory and shipping options have flourished and made more profits from online sales during the pandemic than ever before. This doesn’t come too much of a surprise considering loyal customers couldn’t buy them in-store. With a wider selection to choose from all in one place, it has made it easier for customers to find exactly what they’re looking for without leaving their sofa.
Customers can now filter lists of products from eye-liners, mascaras, nail polish to other beauty products rather than wandering the stores without finding what they want.
Product Description
One of the major advantages of buying cosmetics online is that it is much easier to read the detailed product description rather than holding the small bottle of nail polish to the light or with glasses to read the small print. This alone has enhanced the buying experience for customers and enabled them to make a quicker judgement on products without the need for shop assistants.
Shipping vs. Shopping Bags
Customers usually enjoy trying on their products as soon as they leave the shop and get home, as a lot of women buy their mascaras and lip gloss to use the same or the following day. With online shopping, it can take up to 6 days to deliver the products. Meaning customers have had to order in advance unless the retailer provides next-day delivery.
Another aspect of online shopping is that receipts are easier to keep as they are digital rather than being thrown in the shopping bag and potentially being lost, meaning no refunds. So the shipping of items bought through online stores has indeed benefited customers in that respect.
How To Know If A Product Is Right For You
While it is easy to sample multiple products in-store at the same time to get a better understanding of which one suits you, online shopping doesn’t have this option. Therefore, it can have many complications for customers as they have to second-guess if a new product they like is right for them. However, with some online retailers offering free sampling to customers, the online world is starting to help customers understand if a product is right for them. This could only improve in the future.
Will Shoppers Return After The Pandemic
One thing for sure is that although some customers enjoy the hustle and bustle of shopping in-store, whether it is during the week when it’s quiet or a mad rush on Black Friday. Other shoppers will undoubtedly be waiting for their favourite retailers in Ireland to open the doors, but with restricted numbers allowed to enter, keeping the volumes low, the others will have embraced the online experience as a positive and smarter way to shop.