Retail Lab: A deep-dive in to Merit Beauty and the luxury of going back to basics
This week's Retail Lab focuses on how Merit Beauty is revolutionising the way we think about and shop for beauty. Plus my view on the brand's UK opportunity.
Beauty is a crowded space, with a sea of brands and a seemingly endless list of new launches all promising to give you that something you’ve been searching for. The result? For brands, it’s getting harder to stand out, and for customers, it’s overwhelm. So what’s next? Creating a brand that goes back to basics and caters to an ever-growing consumer base that wants to simplify their beauty routine without compromising on results.
The compact version: beauty made easy.
Merit Beauty is still a newcomer to the beauty space. Launched in 2021 by Katherine Power of Who What Wear and Versed, Merit Beauty was built on the ethos of carefully creating “essentials that have earned a place on your vanity.” It’s a brand with curation at its heart, focusing on thoughtful products and edited beauty that is accessible, regardless of skin type and make up application know-how.
The details matter: Let’s dig in to the Merit strategy with real-life examples.
In store
Merit Beauty is sold in Sephora stores across the US, in small, simple displays that are in stark contrast to the other brands that surround it
This back-to-basics approach puts the shopper at ease because it’s easy to see what the products are, and it’s quick to test them
The range is purposely limited to an edit that is easy accessible and simple to test (no brushes needed), with each product having a specific purpose
Sleek, leak-proof and mess-free packaging make for perfect testers that look clean, but function perfectly, sitting on tops that have the feel of an at-home vanity
Emails
They are clean, minimalist and easy to shop/ navigate, with lots of white space; in other words, they are a mirror image of the store display
Buying is made simple in 4 easy steps: here’s the product, these are the benefits, here’s how to use them, and here’s the link to purchase.
Don’t read and delete: The Minimalist recently had a mini relaunch after 10 new shades were added, and Merit Beauty made sure shade matching didn’t turn in to a chore by including an easy-to-read and reference colour chart in the email. Education in beauty is a key strategy to combat shopper overwhelm, and one we’re seeing more of.
Taking things slow but getting them right is a key facet of the Merit Beauty story, and what better way to show transparency than by creating a timeline? The time, investment and research that went in to the Minimalist “perfecting complexion stick” sends a clear message that this product was created with care, and can truly be a hero item worthy of a place in your makeup bag.
Sets: with the holiday season approaching, beauty bundles are everywhere, but how many provide a complete solution? The Merit Beauty sets are carefully curated with products that make sense together. They contain limited edition products you can’t buy separately, and with small numbers available, shoppers know they have to be quick. Exclusive products and shades, along with minis and mix and match, are proven strategies in the beauty space that increase sales conversion, and Merit Beauty uses them as perfect levers to entice customers.
Gifts with purchase (GWP): an essential in beauty retailing because shoppers love trying out new products and retailers know they won’t buy without trying. Merit offers all customers their signature make-up bag with their first purchase and recently offered a free Maison Louis Marie hand cream with a £75+ spend.
Sharing product reviews: Merit Beauty is all about transparency and sharing reviews adds weight to the brand’s assertions that their products are worthy of a place in anyone’s make up routine.
The UK Merit Beauty Opportunity
First, I’d love to see Merit Beauty expand its range in to the ever-growing list of UK Sephora stores. This would give the brand the perfect opportunity to test the water and get UK customers to try out products IRL before committing to a full-size purchase. It would also build the trust factor.
Along these lines, a pop-up similar to the recent Summer Fridays stand in Covent Garden would create buzz, excitement and generate data on sales potential with minimal risk
I don’t see Merit Beauty featured in many UK fashion and beauty magazines (and I read a lot of them). For now it remains a brand that those in-the-know know about, but it could be so much more because British shoppers love easy beauty, and many look for multi-tasking products that save time and money