Marketing Mix ( 4 P's)

Product

Sephora’s wide range of products sets itself apart from other beauty retail brand. The company offers over 200 different brands and over 13,000* products in their physical and online stores. These products include makeup, skincare, beauty tools, fragrance, hair care and bath and body tools. Because most of the 200+ brands featured include products from a majority of the product categories, Sephora has established it as a go-to specialty store for all your beauty needs.

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Carrying classic, household brands such as Lancome and Bobbi Brown Cosmetics along with popular emerging brands such as ColourPop Cosmetics and Fenty Beauty, Sephora appeals to a wide range of make-up enthusiasts of all different ages, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Older and classic brands attract older and more affluent customers whereas the newer brands draw in a younger demographic. Having a mix of both brand types, allows both demographics to decide from either a more luxurious or affordable options. Each brand also has its own branding color scheme, look and feel to their products that stand out to customers while shopping in-store.

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Aside from physical cosmetics being sold, Sephora also offers an in-store experience with services from their professionally trained staff. Customers can a makeover by a Sephora make-up artist, hair styling and facials at select stores. All stores, however, offer free product samples and free 15-minute mini makeovers to anyone who enters the store.

 

Price

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Sephora’s prices range from middle to upper range unlike the lower range prices found at drug and grocery store cosmetic prices. These prices are due to the higher quality products offered by the company. Due to the customer base’s desire for quality and well-known cosmetic brand products, Sephora’s higher prices are acceptable to its market. Sephora’s target market is also of a higher socioeconomic status than that of regular drug store make-up shoppers, making Sephora’s prices reasonable for the exclusive premium value its products provide.

 

Place

Sephora products can be purchased via multiple physical and online outlets. Most popularly, Sephora sells its products in their over 1,000 brick and mortar stores across 25 countries. In 2006, Sephora expanded its physical reach to opening mini-stores in JCPenney department stores in the United States and Canada. Placing Sephora in JCPenney stores opens up the company to a new demographic of multitasking shoppers who are typically on more of a budget than those who shop at their standalone retail stores. The company also utilizes its own beauty vending machines offering cosmetic, skincare and beauty products for sale at various malls across the United States. These standalone stores, JCPenney department stores and vending machines are all primarily located in metropolitan and metro suburban areas. The company’s metropolitan placement may alienate those in more rural and suburban areas due to the difficult accessibility. Luckily, customers do not have to be at a store or mall to purchase Sephora products.

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Sephora also operates the largest online beauty retail store, Sephora.com. The website features virtually all products customers can purchase at physical stores, along with exclusive online products, view other customer feedback, leave product reviews and watch informational makeup tutorials using items for sale. The brand also allows customers to purchase merchandise from their mobile Sephora app, available for iPhone and iPad.

 

Promotion

Sephora’s promotional efforts span way further than traditional marketing campaigns. The brand has great online presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. These pages are all consistently updated with relevant content to each platform. With 17 million likes on Facebook, the brand utilizes the tried and true platform with Facebook’s shop feature, special event pages of store events happening around the country, and compelling visual graphics, photos and videos. Boasting 18 million followers on Instagram, Sephora utilizing product posts on their feed and Instagram stories featuring products and videos. Sephora interacts with their 2.7 million Twitter followers by replying to customer tweets and posting about company and product news.

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Aside from their social media presence, Sephora promotes the brand with their special rewards program for loyal customers. The “Beauty Insiders” program, launched in 2007, rewards Sephora customers with points from merchandise purchases and receive exclusive coupons, deals and a yearly birthday gift. Customers can redeem their reward points for premium product samples. Beauty Insiders can also progress to higher levels in the program, VIB and VIB Rouge.