The Cosmetic Lens: To Shop In-Store or Online for Cosmetics

 Op-ed: Why In-Store Shopping Provides a Better Experience

    I think we can all think back to a time when we were young and we walked into the toy aisle that was lined with every toy you could possibly imagine. Colorful and vibrant packaging wrapped the newest Barbie dolls and fastest Hot Wheels cars. 

Now that we are all grown up, what resembles this experience? To some, there is no better example than the moment you walk into a cosmetic store. Aisles lined with the trendiest and latest beauty products that everyone seems to be raving about. From the moment you enter the store, the product packaging glows, the sweet and floral fragrances fill the air, and the bright lights glisten on every product you can’t wait to get your hands on. However, with the rise of the internet and increased online shopping, do consumers still have this satisfying experience when purchasing new cosmetic products? 

This no longer seems to be the case. Thus, to ensure that people have this personalized, enhanced, and enjoyable experience, we, as consumers, should focus on purchasing cosmetic products in-store rather than online. 

Through in-store interactions, we are able to experience the product through several of our senses: we are able to see, touch, and even smell the different products in store. We get to test out the products and even view demonstrations, learn how to use the product to its full potential, match colors to our skin tone, test samples, or even try out the product for longer periods of time. 

While the store may be full of plenty of options and thousands of products, it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming when it comes to choosing which products we want to buy. However, when in store, this problem can be easily resolved as we have the opportunity to interact with sales representatives who are very knowledgeable about various cosmetic brands and products and can even guide us through the process of finding the perfect product for us.  

Through such immersive in-store experiences, we develop a strong emotional connection with the products even before purchasing them. Moreover, we get to interact with products immediately after purchasing, providing even stronger feelings of satisfaction and instant gratification. 

Some might argue that online shopping is a better option for improving customer experiences since people are able to shop at any time from anywhere. Online shopping for cosmetics is convenient, lacks external pressures (like distractions of influences), offers a very broad selection of products, avoids the long crowds, and allows customers to compare prices from a wide range of options.

 However, the ease of buying through online stores might not actually be as convenient as you may think. Once you receive the package, the likelihood of not liking the actual product is fairly high since online shopping prevents customers from actually interacting with the product before making a purchase. Therefore, the convenience of online shopping turns into the hassle of enduring the complex return and exchange process that takes away from the overall customer experience. 

Ultimately, we as consumers should strive to shop for cosmetics in-store to enhance, personalize, and improve our overall experience. Regardless of whether or not we purchase the product online or in-store, that product becomes associated with experiences and memories. That being said, making sure that every experience is positive and enjoyable is just as important as purchasing the product in the first place.  

Walking aisle through aisle, learning about the newest and most popular products can stimulate positive emotions and interactions with each product we purchase. So in order to revive those nostalgic memories of being a kid dreaming of all the amazing toys that lined the aisles of a toy store, we should all spend some time shopping at our local cosmetic stores.