Along with turning our homes into makeshift gyms and offices, the pandemic has brought about another significant change to the places we live: they have become a self-care sanctuary, too.
That’s exactly what a recent NPD Group study found. The market research firm discovered that “self-care became essential in 2020, with the winning areas of the market being those that helped to create an at-home wellness environment.”
Consumers are now opening their wallets for products that promote healthier skin and hair—while makeup has been less of a priority throughout the pandemic. And, since a lot of people are no longer commuting, they’re also devoting extra time to pampering themselves with products like treatment masks, face exfoliators, body creams, cleansers and oils, and nail care.
Ultimately, at-home wellness products are those that provide a way to de-stress, unwind, and cope during highly stressful times.
So, what does this mean for salon management software? For owners, there are opportunities to boost profits by ensuring you’re delivering the at-home wellness products your customers want—switching the serious styling products for more feel-good items that deliver care and comfort – in an accessible way.
But to ensure an effective strategy, let’s first look at how the change has evolved...
The Rise of DIY Beauty Care
After months of lock-downs and stay-at-home orders putting their favorite salons and providers off limits, many people transformed their bathrooms into a restorative oasis filled with scented candles, bath salts, and more. Others experimented with do-it-yourself (DIY) hair dye jobs, trims or manicures, with research finding that sales of hair dye and hair clippers increased by 23% and 166%, respectively, in the first week of April 2020 versus April 2019.
Our home—the very place that was long neglected due to the hustle and bustle of pre-pandemic life—has evolved into a wellness space that now puts our health first.
Also read: Healing from COVID-19: How to Encourage Repeat Customers and Revitalize Your Business
According to a Vogue Business article, COVID-19 “has solidified the longevity of buzzy categories like skincare and self-care, giving an advantage to brands who already sell products in the space and making it vital that others move quickly to do so.”
The Impact of E-commerce
COVID-19 has also changed the way consumers shop for beauty and wellness products. In their quest to use their home as a space to help them look and feel their best, more people decided to go online to get the products they need. As a result, it’s never been more important for salons and spas to ensure the products they sell are easily available to their customers in the digital space.
A McKinsey study found that while the percentage of goods purchased online in the United States was originally forecast to reach 24% by 2024—by July 2020, it had already hit an astonishing 33% of total retail sales. According to the report, the first half of 2020 saw an increase in e-commerce equivalent to that of the previous ten years.
The shopping behaviors of e-commerce customers are much different from in-salon, with brand loyalty consistently being considerably lower and harder to capture. Therefore, direct-to-consumer selling requires adaptation and willingness to change.
Embracing the New Normal
As more cities begin to move away from COVID-19 lock-downs, the data points to an ongoing at-home wellness trend with customers continuing to conduct some of their previous in-salon treatments themselves. However, no DIY solution will ever compare to that fabulous in-salon feeling and the excitement around reopenings of these vital services certainly supports that.
So, capitalize on the trend to increase revenue and build loyalty by ensuring your guest’s at-home wellness routine is an extension of your brand. Here’s how:
- Extend your product range to incorporate self-care products and ensure you are offering products that support your guests’ evolving needs. For instance, beyond selling hair sprays and styling tools, salons should consider selling products that support natural beauty, such as deep conditioning masks while spas can focus on conditioning and rejuvenation.
- Ensure your providers are fully trained and knowledgeable on all your retail products. This means that during the service they can recommend the best products and routine for each customer to follow to maintain and complement the treatment they have had in-salon.
- Elevate your online shopping experience. Invest in your e-commerce to enable your customers to purchase their favorite products any time.
Read more about Elevate the Customer Experience
- Embrace your creative side. If an online store is out of reach, what other ways can you get your retail products into the hands of your guests? Solutions like curbside pickup, local delivery, or even a communication tool to connect with guests and let them know their favorite products are ready and waiting will all help boost profits.
Have you thought about embracing artificial intelligence to heal from COVID-19?
Zenoti can help you embrace the at-home wellness trend.
Zenoti Connect allows guests to text your salon or spa to find out whether products are in stock, what can be shipped to their home, or what is available through curbside pickup. It also enables providers to communicate with guests and offer tips and guidance on products, playing an important role in strengthening their relationship with guests.
With Zenoti Shopify integration, salon and spa owners can run your online store through a cloud-based, multichannel e-commerce platform. Guests simply log in to the Zenoti Webstore with their email address and when they go shopping, they’ll land on the Shopify platform and be able to seamlessly browse for products. Any time they make a purchase, their history will be stored in their Zenoti profile. Along with offering a range of customizable features, Zenoti Shopify integration also lets companies sell products on multiple channels—like Amazon or Pinterest—to maximize sales.
Read more about the benefits of having a Shopify-integrated site.
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