In the competitive world of beauty retail, trust is a crucial factor that can make or break a customer’s loyalty. Our recent survey of over 1,700 NewBeauty readers has revealed some intriguing insights into which beauty retailers have earned consumer confidence, especially when it comes to luxury beauty products.
Sephora emerges as the clear leader in trust, with an impressive 48 percent of respondents ranking it as their most trusted beauty retailer. This isn’t surprising given Sephora’s reputation for curating high-quality brands and providing a seamless shopping experience both in-store and online. Ulta Beauty follows, with 20.2 percent of respondents ranking it as their most trusted retailer.
When asked to rank retailers in order of trust or credibility for receiving genuine products, the results were telling:
- Sephora.com: 48 percent ranked it first
- Ulta.com: 20.2 percent ranked it first
- Dermstore.com: 16.1 percent ranked it first
- BlueMercury.com: 6.3 percent ranked it first
- Amazon.com: 5.1 percent ranked it first
- Lovelyskin.com: 4.3 percent ranked it first
This trust factor becomes particularly crucial when it comes to luxury beauty brands. Our data shows that while Amazon is making strides in the beauty market, brands like La Mer, SK-II and Augustinus Bader are still more commonly purchased from traditional retailers. For instance, only 2.5 percent of respondents reported buying La Mer products on Amazon, compared to 32.2 percent who have purchased the brand from any retailer.
As the beauty retail landscape continues to evolve, addressing trust issues will be crucial for all players. Traditional retailers like Sephora and Ulta Beauty may need to enhance their online offerings and convenience factors to maintain their edge, while Amazon will need to bolster consumer confidence in the authenticity and quality of its beauty offerings.
The future of beauty retail will likely belong to those who can best balance convenience, authenticity and personalized experiences across both digital and physical platforms, all while maintaining the trust of increasingly savvy and informed beauty consumers.
