The store-in-a-store features a Custom Lab where consumers can see their personalised skin care formulated and mixed on the spot in roughly five to 10 minutes.
Seeing is believing
Co-founder Tuyen Lamy told CosmeticsDesign-Asia that having an offline presence could help the brand alleviate some of the “mystery” personalised beauty products.
“In the market today there’s a lot of talk about customisation but I think there is still some mystery around it. We are actually showcasing the customisation through the Custom Lab. Consumers can see the ingredients and see the product mixed right in front of them. The whole idea is to let them see it, understand and realise that the product is truly customised for them,” she said.
In the last two years, the brand has been actively engaging with its consumers through pop-ups, which Lamy said has been very beneficial for the brand.
“Having pop-ups have certainly helped us better understand what we can offer our customers in terms of experience both online and offline.”
Additionally, the brand’s previous pop-ups helped the company understand what kind of retail outlet would be best for the brand.
“We have tried different approaches when we were doing pop-ups and this was definitely the one that was the most engaging for customers because it allowed them to see what personalisation looks like,” Lamy said.
Engaging with consumers IRL
Despite the ‘Amazon-effect’, Lamy believes that beauty consumers still want to try out products in-person and engage with the brand on a more personal level.
“Today, when you buy a product, you also buy into the brand’s values. It’s very hard when it’s completely intangible and only online. A physical store is more detailed and has more depth and can showcase what the brand is about.”
Even though Naiise Iconic opened a month after the official launch of Jewel Changi Airport – a mixed-use development spanning retail, food and beverage, and leisure attractions Alche{me} still managed to draw in traffic to its concept store.
“There is definitely a lot of interest. The first weekend we were open I think we did close to a hundred consultations in one day. I think there is a lot of interest in understanding your skin and what ingredients are good for it,” said Lamy.
Currently, the Alche{me} team is on rotation at the outlet daily. Apart from Lamy and co-founder Constance Mandefield, the company’s head of R&D and chemists are also clocking in hours at the store.
“Our objective is to understand our consumer base and this is key. We want to establish a trusting relationship with our consumer. You never know what you are missing out on until you are actually talking to customers,” Lamy said.
Lamy admitted that the brand was still in the process of learning but she did not rule out the possibility of expanding the brand’s physical footprint.
“The goal was to offer a very unique experience with personalisation and skin expertise. If we find another location which answers that objective, yes we will expand.”
She added its current location and retail partner was a good example of the type of presence the brand is looking for.
“Naiise is a retailer with a unique approach that features local brands with different concepts. It suits us very well in that sense. I feel the match was really strong. We have to make sure we are going for experiences which are different and can expand our customer base as well.”
She added: “Jewel is a mall that is very different from all the other malls in Singapore. It’s out of town with a unique concept and a very pleasant environment. It’s just a whole new different experience.”