Easier web connection and payment

All consumer studies unanimously emphasize the vital importance of the web and social networks in today’s purchasing behaviours in the beauty and personal care segments. Consumers get online to find information, compare products and prices, and the buy in store or - increasingly – online. Marionnaud therefore intends to facilitate the purchase experience of its consumers by adding new digital services in its stores.

Marionnaud flagship store, at 104 Champs-Elysées in Paris, France, offers French and international customers a new shopping experience thanks to the retailer’s digital services, such as: the connected "bubbles" to recharge smartphones, free Wi-Fi, mobile payment services, "Code Beauty" personal profiles, Ioma skin diagnosis, etc.

The European beauty retailer now offers free broadband WiFi access in all its beauty stores and salons. Customers can now more easily share their shopping experience, their favourite product or their "Beauty Code" on social networks (Facebook, Instragram, etc.). Moreover, watching videos or listening to music will be made easier and more confortable during salon treatments.

In order to help customers to have an easy and permanent access to the web and social media, Marionnaud has equipped 77 stores and salons, including the Champs-Elysées flagship store, with new connected smartphone charging boxes named “bubbles”. This news service will be extended to all Marionnaud stores by the end of 2016.

Eventually, Marionnaud now offers the possibility to pay directly to a shop assistant with a new mobile point of sale credit card reader on iPads. This service, which is available in a selection of stores, should accelerate the purchasing process by accelerating the checkout step.

"Digital services reinforce the expertise of our beauty consultants and enrich in store shopping experience. We intend to offer each customer a high variety of connected services and we will continue to innovate digitally in the coming months and years," said Eileen Yeo, Managing Director of Marionnaud France.

Sustained investments

In 2014, Marionnaud was a pioneer among selective beauty retail chains with the launch of a free Click & Collect service. In 2015, all the retailer’s stores were equipped with iPads, with several proprietary applications including "Beauty Code", a new customized digital service aiming at reinforcing the expertise of beauty consultants and their relationship with customers. Furthermore, since 2015, all Marionnaud stores also offer exclusive and free skin diagnosis in partnership with Ioma, a young brand that pioneered connected and personalized beauty.

As far as the A.S. Watson Group, Marionnaud’s parent company, is concerned, significant investments in e-commerce, including the launch of several mobile applications, were announced recently, with the aim to strengthen relations with customers online and to enhance online shopping experience. In particular, A.S. Watson explained that its e-commerce business increased by 47% in 2015 in Europe.