Beauty Buyers Shop Tech, Athletes Buy Mattresses

Many CRE professionals and capital market investors assume outlet shoppers are simply bargain hunters. Retailers clearly know better. Ulta Beauty is aggressively expanding into the outlet sector. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Ulta expects growth to slow as shoppers continue to hunt for value in a competitive market. In many markets, outlet shopper demographics match or exceed nearby power centers and lifestyle centers. These shoppers are brand aware. The travel to shop and come to spend $$$. Dwell times exceed other shopping centers, and they often visit multiple stores in one trip. That customer profile aligns very well with beauty. • Small footprint • High margin • Brand driven Ulta isn’t chasing discount traffic. They’re chasing destination shoppers who come to outlets specifically to shop brands......and spend. #Retail #CRE #OutletCenters #RetailStrategy

Your segment doesn't matter. We’ve spent decades obsessed with "Males 18-34" or "High-Income Urbanites." But what happens when that person is shopping for their grandmother? Or their boss? Or a toddler? The segment is useless. Data becomes noise. As James, Beth and Dave highlight in this snippet from MAD//North, it’s not about who the customer is. It’s about what they are trying to do right now. The future of retail isn't demographic; it’s intent-driven and segment led. Full talk linked in the comments below 👇 #RetailMedia by Particular Audience

I’ve been glad to see a recent uptick in mentions of the importance of taste by other industry professionals. I feel that it’s important to understand exactly how taste is a measurable skillset rather than a series/set of personal preferences. Having good taste as a professional, when you’re managing the marketing/brand strategy/direction of an organization hinges on your ability to adapt and empathize with the market/industry in question. When I work within Fashion, my taste from the Automotive industry has very little to do with the way that I position brands within Fashion/Clothing, my taste in Financial Solutions has little to do with my taste within CPG and vice-versa. As a true marketing leader you need to be able to immerse yourself within the demographic’s POV to truly understand how to properly position your product/service. I’ll stress this again, data is cheap now, so is our ability to analyze demographics and behavioural psychology. Take the time to understand and empathize with the signals and use that to cut through the #CorprateSlop that’s being funneled through the channels. Your ability to be human and connect with humans is impartive in today’s market. Your demographic, whether it be decision makers at your target firm as a B2B SaaS org or the discerning buyer within your DTC/ Consumer Goods B2C org, want to feel seen and understood. What good is your product’s USP if you can’t translate it? How important is increased output if no one want’s to see it? #Positioning #Marketing #BrandStrategy

Attention to packaging is crucial for today's wine brands. Aesthetic design influences consumer attraction and decision-making in a saturated market. Tailoring packaging for target demographics not only boosts engagement but also builds brand loyalty. Sustainable options resonate with consumers who prioritize environmentally-friendly choices, helping brands stand out. Brands must not overlook the power of effective branding on their packaging for better recognition. What steps can your brand take to enhance the shopper experience through packaging? https://lnkd.in/gCkD3yvK #WinePackaging #SalesIncrease #RetailMerchandising #Ecommerce #Sustainability

Marketplace vs Direct to Consumer. What Wins in Sexual Wellness Distribution strategy shapes everything. Margins Brand control Customer relationships Long term growth In sexual wellness, two models dominate. Marketplaces Direct to consumer Marketplaces offer: Immediate access to large audiences Built in trust and convenience Faster initial sales velocity But they come with tradeoffs. Limited control over branding Pricing pressure and competition Restricted customer data and retention opportunities Direct to consumer operates differently. Full control over brand experience Direct relationship with the customer Higher margins and lifetime value But it requires more effort. Traffic acquisition Content and education Trust building from scratch This creates a strategic decision. Speed versus control. Marketplaces are effective for exposure and initial traction. Direct to consumer builds long term equity and stability. In sexual wellness, this balance is even more important. Restrictions on advertising Sensitivity around branding Need for trust and discretion All favor a strong direct channel. There is also a hybrid model emerging. Brands use marketplaces for discovery. Then transition users into owned channels for retention. This allows both scale and control. But it requires alignment. Consistent pricing Clear brand positioning Seamless experience across platforms At V For Vibes, this is a core focus. Building a strong direct foundation while strategically leveraging external platforms where they add value. Because distribution is not just about where you sell. It is about how you grow. #SexTech #Ecommerce #DTC #Marketplaces #ConsumerBehavior #DigitalStrategy

❤️ Are younger shoppers easier to woo? (And, if so, what are the implications for brands and retailers' private label strategies?) Different ages, different stages: 🛍️ Younger consumers are accustomed to the endless aisle’s abundance of choice, whereas older shoppers remain loyal to legacy brands in part out of habit. Private label power: 🎯 Retailers strategically invest more in private labels to capitalize on shifts in loyalty and consumer values like affordability (across age and income groups). 💰 Private labels also increase retailers' influence across the value chain, including costs and margin protection. 📈 The proliferation of private labels helps retailers grow their top line in 2 ways. They earn store brand sales plus B2B retail media revenue, as national brands buy ads to protect their top-of-mind status. How do you think demographic cohorts influence brands and private labels? See the recent RetailWire article and share your thoughts. #retail #ecommerce #CPG #strategy https://lnkd.in/eK3P4TZi

85% of Customers Using Messaging Channels Rate Their Service Experience as Excellent. Messaging is no longer a "nice to have" channel - it's a satisfaction booster, especially among younger demographics.   Yet, many corporates lag in implementing seamless omnichannel approaches that include: - phone calls (In-/Outbound) - WhatsApp, Telegram - SMS and chat.   Integrations matter: it’s about effectively blending classic and digital channels. Which messaging channels have you integrated, and what impact have you seen on CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)? #Omnichannel #Messaging #CXStrategy #CustomerSatisfaction #DigitalTransformation

Market shift show the way the new generations shop for beauty is transforming. Recently, I've noticed huge online buzz around new retail formats in beauty: MAC just launched a “UK-first” affiliate program alongside TikTok Shop, and John Lewis is taking digital retail even further with AI shopping and a TikTok Shop pilot. Thanks to TikTok trends and actual sales are all in one platform. Shown by beauty tech sales on TikTok Shop are soaring, up 400%, especially in fast-moving trends like red light therapy which has been seen as the new skincare trend for 2026. These changes aren't just headlines they’re real shifts in how people discover and buy beauty. Social commerce isn't replacing the high street completely, but it's raising the bar for in-store experience. Stores like SpaceNK and Sephora feel more exciting and high-end than traditional chains, pushing premiumisation that is seen across the whole consumer segments from FMCG to Beauty, pushing everyone to rethink how they connect with shoppers. This includes enhancing company displays and introducing upscale beauty formats to make the in-person shopping experience truly enticing How are you adapting your sales strategy in today’s hybrid beauty market? Let’s share insights! #Ecommerce #BeautyTech #RetailInnovation #TikTokShop #ConsumerTrends #GlobalData #retailInnovation #Beauty #SkincareMakeupHybrid #ConsumerIntelligence

We surveyed New Zealanders about their consumer behaviours across a range of categories and explored at how these behaviours differed by generation. Here's what we found 👇 https://hubs.li/Q03XVyyK0 #ConsumerBehaviour #Trends #Insights #Brands #Marketing

I just finished analyzing a dataset of KingWear 2,000 customers and the results genuinely surprised me. Here's what I expected to find: ✅ High earners spend more ✅ Gender influences buying behavior Here's what the data actually said: ❌ Income had almost zero correlation with spending score ❌ Gender made no meaningful difference at all So what DOES drive customer spending behavior? Honestly the data says it's largely behavioral, not demographic. The spending score distribution was nearly uniform from 0 to 100. No variable explained it cleanly. That tells me the real differentiators are psychological: loyalty, habit, trust and experience, not age or income bracket. A few other highlights: 59% Female and 41% Male: identical average spending ĺscores. $110k+ average income across all professions: yet high and low spenders looked the same. Artists made up 31% of the customer base the single largest profession group. Only 26% of customers qualified as "Champions" (spend ≥ 75) The business takeaway? Stop targeting customers purely by demographics. Build segments around behavior, purchase patterns, and engagement signals instead. Data doesn't always confirm our assumptions and that's exactly what makes it valuable. #DataAnalysis #CustomerInsights #MarketingStrategy #DataAnalysis #BusinessIntelligence