The beauty-retail store Sephora was founded in 1969 in France and since then has become a leader in sales of heath and beauty-aid products. It opened its first store in the United States in 1998 on Fifth Avenue in New York City and prides itself on being ahead of the market in skin care trends. Its luxurious environment is the selling point for over 250 brands.
On its shelves, Sephora maintains a balance of big brand names with lesser known, up-and-coming brands. Sephora also carries its own private brand that it promotes independently in the store. Each sales representative in a Sephora store is trained to best help customers find the products that best fit their skin types and lifestyles. Watch the video to learn what techniques Sephora uses to keep its shelves stocked and customers happy.
Questions
1. Why is important to customers that Sephora keep detailed information about their inventory? What does Sephora do to insure their numbers are accurate?
2. How does Sephora manage its marketing channel? What information goes into deciding which suppliers become incorporated?