How To Sell Cosmetics and Makeup Products Online

The beauty and cosmetics market is an attractive prospect for many entrepreneurs and people passionate about selling their own cosmetics and makeup products. In 2022, the revenue of the global cosmetics markets exceeded $100 billion and is expected to reach over $131 billion annual revenue by 2026. As such, the industry represents a profitable market for people looking to turn their passion for makeup into a business.

The сosmetics segment revenue in 2022 is estimated at $100.49 billion (Source: Statista)

Within this article, we’ll be looking at how to sell makeup online, covering every factor you should consider before taking your first steps into the industry.

To sell cosmetics online, you need to pay attention to several factors:

• Get to know your customers.
• Find your niche.
• Find and select the best manufacturers.
• Brand and pack your cosmetics.
• Сhoose a platform to sell products online.
• Market and promote your makeup products.

1. Understand Your Customers

A cosmetics brand, no matter how small, is nothing without a strong and loyal customer base. As such, you must create an enjoyable online experience that turns page views into sales.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, more people are choosing to shop online instead of in-store. Invest plenty of time into writing detailed descriptions and high-resolution product photographs so customers know exactly what they are buying before heading to the checkout. Also, consider paying a model (or asking a friend) to wear your makeup for a photoshoot so customers know what the makeup looks like on the skin.

We also recommend including customer reviews on your website. Reviews make an online store look more legitimate and trustworthy. If you are using a website builder or other type of e-commerce platform (like Ecwid), you may want to add reviews to your products with a comment or review section. Encourage customers to leave a review with free incentives like prize draws.

Also, ensure you spend enough time on customer service as well. When you sell makeup or any other product online, your customers will want to know about the status of their orders from the moment they finalize their payments. Provide a comprehensive customer service department to answer questions over email, and also send a “thank you” or confirmation email after a purchase — this is also a good time to over promo codes or discounts for your customer to shop with you again. Good communication and customer service are the cornerstones of any business.

2. Find Your Niche

Once you have identified your customers and their spending habits, you can start targeting a specific niche. Remember; the beauty industry is enormous. While you have a huge audience to aim at, you’ll need to figure out how to stand out as a company and offer a product that presents a solution to people who buy cosmetics online.

You shouldn’t try to attract every single consumer to your brand — if you aim too high, your products are less likely to appeal to somebody on a personal level. However, you can ask yourself a few questions to determine your potential niche:

• What makes my product different from everything else on the market?
• Who will my USP attract?

Your USP does not have to reinvent the wheel (cosmetically speaking). You can simply offer low prices or less-common palette color options. Alternatively, you could also come up with a specific moisturizer that de-ages the skin by a decade (good luck with that one!). Whatever you choose to sell, you should focus on a USP that sets your cosmetics apart from your competitors.

If you need some help, browse forums or perform a keyword search on Google Trends to find the most sought-after products and tailor your business towards those popular topics.

3. Source a Manufacturer

When sourcing a manufacturer for your cosmetics business, you have two options.

Find manufacturer

First, you can work with a manufacturer to create your unique cosmetics product. Research various cosmetics companies that will work with independent businesses to create a line of makeup products. This is the best option if you want to label your products as “original” — a huge selling point for many customers.

In addition, you could also find a manufacturer in your general area, which would give you a greater ability to oversee the manufacturing process. Do your research and find a manufacturer that works for your business, is reliable, and can produce quality cosmetics.

Labeling

Alternatively, you can try white labeling. This technique involves purchasing a generic product from a manufacturer that you then rebrand to suit your label — with the manufacturer’s permission of course. You would have to alter the fragrance or color of the product to make it more unique, but you’ll still get a ready-to-sell product quickly and easily.

One minor drawback is that you cannot claim that your product is one-of-a-kind. As such, you’ll find it hard to appear more credible alongside other companies that make their products from scratch. You’ll also have to ensure the white label manufacturer is approved in your country. Also, consider their minimum order limit. You don’t want to go over-budget buying more stock than you need.

Become your own manufacturer

You could also make the products yourself in your own home. You will have to think about inventory space and your own packaging, but you’ll also have complete control over the manufacturing process from start to finish.

Dropshipping

You may also want to consider a dropship cosmetics business. Dropshipping involves selling goods from a manufacturer but not actually holding any stock yourself. As such, you’ll sell those products through your own store, buying stock from your manufacturer when necessary. Then, the manufacturer or supplier will package and ship the products to the customer. You then take a cut of the profits.

When you dropship makeup, you don’t have to worry about shipping and certain overhead costs that affect businesses that handle their own stock, but you do have less control over the quality of the products being sent out.

4. Brand and Package Your Makeup

Your branding is a vital part of making it in the competitive world of online retail. The term “branding” covers every element that works towards your store’s overall image. This includes your product images, logo, tone of voice. It’s easy to feel confused with so many things to consider, but take one step at a time, work on one aspect of your brand’s image and match all the other aspects afterward. Remember; you want a cohesive brand. Consistent branding creates brand awareness; brand awareness leads to more customers over time.

Focus on the color associated with your company. For the big brands, the color scheme is the result of hours of hard work and trial and error. Blue makes people think of trust; purple conjures images of luxury; red evokes passion. Think about what the color of your online store and logo says about your brand when choosing your color scheme.

You should then use that same color scheme in your logo. If you have the creative acumen, draw up your own logo on Adobe Illustrator or PhotoShop. Alternatively, you can ask a freelance graphic artist to create a logo to your specification.

Also, use this time to think about your packaging. Sure, the main job of your packaging is to keep your products safe during the shipping process, but you can also invest in stylish and unique packaging to increase brand awareness and make your company seem more upscale or professional.

Ready to get started? Let’s create your awesome cosmetics store!

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