With the internet so resourceful and a convenient way to shop it appears to be taking over the traditional shops and stores. All industries have been affected and many businesses now have their own online shop in order to compete or simply to stay in business. The world changes and change must definitely be embraced. Keeping up with the fast pace of evolving industries is exciting but also a learning curve for many. Now i know you know all of this, but have you stopped or been caught out yet to look at it from another angle?
The main reason for my blog on this subject is to talk about the beauty industry's affect from the internet, but i'm sure many other industries will also relate to this.
With a wide range of products available it is hard as a consumer to know which one to choose. People tend to rely on recommendations or from seeing advertisements and regularly seeing brands in their whereabouts: shops, supermarkets, social media etc. Their visual presence must mean they are popular/good, no? Filling in online self diagnosing forms may feel like the internet has your needs covered. But would a professional see your needs the same as you?
Reviews have become a top go to as people will now research more into making purchases. In all of this I see the huge potential to make the wrong decision and resulting in an un happy purchase which can taint a brand altogether. Ill share with you an example of a client I saw recently to help you see the bigger picture when it comes to making a product purchase.
My client visits me and says she needs to purchase another moisturiser, how ever my records show she had only purchased her last moisturiser 2 months ago. I know this product should have lasted around 5 months. I questioned a little further to find out, that she felt her skin had been extra dry recently and she was doubling up her moisturiser. We then spent about 15 minutes discussing her home routine. Resulting in me discovering she had not been using her exfoliator. My knowledge allowed me to educate my client on the necessity of exfoliation, to remove the top dead skin cells in order for the moisturiser to penetrate its true living skin underneath. Technically the dead skin was soaking up the cream keeping that dryness feeling. I could also tell my lady about other environmental factors that can contribute towards her dryness that she could avoid. I scheduled her in for a flash treatment to assist her skin back on track and knewIi had sent home a happy customer.
If my client had purchased online she would have continued the same, she may well have purchased a slight richer cream however with the risk of still feeling dry could result. Purchasing and discussing her concerns with me allowed me to tell her why she was experiencing dryness and I managed to save her money by teaching her how to use the product correctly, syncing with an unused product that was sitting in her cabinet and sharing tips on ways to prevent her dryness.
Shopping with a personal shopper, discussing your needs in full, taking advise from the professional is the best way to shop and avoid buying the wrong product.
People still seek the shopping experience and that does not come online. If you need a package to turn up on your door step in a cardboard box that can be arranged!...
More increasingly I am seeing home care beauty treatment do it yourself sold online. With a raging trend to look professional, provide the 'salon quality' at home and be gadget or gimmick inspired. Trends of the beauty industry are always changing and many come as quick as they go. This is where many opportunities arise for brands to become tainted again with a not desired look becoming known. Eyebrows, nails and lashes have been among the most popular. Allowing for some strange looking home results. There is satisfaction in doing your own beauty treatments of course, looking after yourself is so important, I spent ages experimenting with facial masks and nail polish as a teenager before I studied at college. I am more concerned with some of the damaging effects that can occur from d.i.y intrusive treatments. I have corrected uncountable eyebrows, re waxed areas and repaired many nails back to health. Now come along the facial peels, laser, microblading, dermarolling/plane and these are a definite NOT to diy services.
The professional salon will provide you therapists that have spent 2 years plus to become qualified and insured to do treatments. Therapist have an abundance of ongoing training to up keep, plus there is a lot of knowledge in all areas learnt throughout their careers . Many beauty professionals have spent a lifetime in their chosen career and have experienced much more than just providing a treatment or retailing a product. Training with their chosen brands provides knowledge. Business support from the brands provides guidance, but working with a brand over time certainly provides the therapist with so much more. Not all clients are the same, no skin types are the same or always follow a typical pattern. It is a very unique service area to work in. Talking with your therapist about your concerns will provide a wider picture of your requirements and expectations from purchasing a product. The therapist should consider your lifestyle and budgets. This is quality you pay for. Stigmatisation is still strong for this industry and it needs its professionals to truly stand out in the crowd and own it. You will find only the best therapists will survive the long haul career. So seek them out.
Retail and services go together for a complete service. Beauty and internet do not go together to make actual successful results.
Plus don't ever forget the businesses that work extremely hard behind the scenes to make their wage. Shop local, support communities, friends and family businesses, shop at stores you want to see stay. Value it, keep it and enjoy personal benefits. Online stores may provide your product cheaper, (did you check if there was a delivery charge or wait time for it to arrive? ) they can sell in bulk at a cheaper rate. You have self served your products into your cart, checked out and waited in for delivery. This simply cannot be offered with a shop business, removing the profit margins doesn't calculate for a successful business. Staff and commissions need paying, shop overheads need reaching. Do not assume it is all profit! The time they spend with you is quality and well worth that extra 10% isn't it!
The online world is fascinating as more businesses try to stay alive now the online competitiveness has started. Setting up a web shop and paying for search engines to be found is becoming more costly. How about returning products? Many still only refund the price you paid but not its return postage. Big company's are starting to offer free returns, this will stamp out some small online businesses. The big ones get richer with power the smaller ones forced out.
In a competitive evolving world hopefully you will agree that we just cant beat the added value that visiting a salon provides and it is a far more rewarding way to shop for our products and services.
Now for my questions....
Have you stopped yet to think who is writing these reviews. Real people? staff? anonymous personnel wanting to sell their product and do not want a bad review viewed online. Is it regulated? But also did the reviewers get real advice before their purchase?
And thoughts....
If we take our business away from the shops and salons they cannot survive and importantly job opportunities go with this. Surely if this evolution of treatment and products sold online continues it may start to weaken down a section of the industry. However on the other side it will also strengthen the true professionals still working to serve you best. Connecting in the real life, real world, real situations that the salons stand for.
I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic. Email me at relaxstation@hotmail.co.uk or talk to me IN PERSON. xx
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