Beauty retailer Sephora has launched a digital storefront on Instagram that allows users to purchase products directly from their feed or stories without leaving the platform. The brand has some 20 million Instagram followers who will be able to purchase from over 80 makeup, skincare, haircare and fragrance brands directly from the app.
“Beauty lovers come to @sephora every day to discover products and connect with brands. Together with Sephora, we want to make shopping inspiring and seamless for this community. So you can see a product you love and buy it in just a few taps with Instagram checkout,” commented Eva Chen, VP of fashion partnerships at Instagram.
When Instagram introduced the Instagram Checkout feature in March 2019, just 10 brands out of 26 total companies available were in the beauty category.
However, as retailers have been forced to close their doors due to the global pandemic, brands are looking for other ways to reach and connect with consumers. According to Glossy, Sephora’s e-commerce business has increased by 30% since the pandemic. However, in-store beauty sales will be under pressure as new research from Influentster highlights that 24% of the consumers it surveyed said they don’t plan on returning to physical stores for beauty products.
“Our clients engage with social media in so many ways, like drawing inspiration from the community, getting tips from experts or learning about new beauty trends so we’re always looking for new ways to enhance that beauty journey. We’re excited to deliver Instagram checkout, a new, seamless, direct, and secure way to shop across our brands’ accounts, while still getting the perks of being a Sephora client,” said Carolyn Bojanowski, SVP and GM of e-commerce for Sephora.
Shoppers will earn Sephora Beauty Insider points on Instagram checkout purchases, which you can also use to donate money to the National Black Justice Coalition.
