Since the onset of the pandemic, people have been staying home more, and when they do go out, they are wearing face masks, resulting in a hard hit to the makeup and cosmetics industry. There was no longer a need to do your makeup every day because we can turn off our cameras on those day-long marathons of Zoom calls. 

Even though sales of makeup has gone down, skincare sales are actually up, with US prestige beauty sales up 3%, and skincare up 13%. This trend can be seen around the world as consumers have gone into isolation the past few months. 

We can take a page from the marketing tactics skincare brands have been using in China to drive demand and sales up for their products, as they are one of the first countries to lead the way in reviving its internal economy.

Here are 4 different marketing tactics we have seen being used to boost skincare sales through online live streams and online stores.

1. Live streaming often to meet consumers where they are.

We can't say enough about how COVID has accelerated China's shift to online retail. The country was already a pioneer in online live stream selling prior to the pandemic, but now we are seeing live streams almost every single day for some brands. Though malls have re-opened, foot traffic is still slowly picking back up, so brands are being proactive by going to where consumers where they are -- online.

Another interesting observation is that China companies have been featuring their top executives in the live streams instead of just using influencers. This 1) helps to ensure correct brand information is being shared on the live stream and 2) gives the live stream more credibility (live stream selling with influencer hosts have had issues where what shoppers ordered doesn't match up with what was shown on a live stream).

2. RSVP and share with a friend for bonus cash coupons.

How much is a referral worth to your business? Figure that out and you can figure out how much you can offer as a cash coupon for referrals. Laneige released a WeChat article yesterday that encouraged readers to RSVP for the live stream segment and share the invite with their friends in return for a 30 RMB cash coupon (no minimum purchase required). 

The more the merrier, and we all know what happens when you bring a bestie to shop with you - you often end up buying more!

3. Limited amount and limited-time offers.

If you are a frequent shopper of any product, you will know that limited-time offers force you to think extra hard about whether you want to buy something right away. Skincare brands are using "limited amount and time offers" to entice users to buy more, NOW. 

For example, 'This night cream is 80% off if you buy it during the live stream and there are only 200 of these available'. This urges shoppers to make a decision fast before the deal disappears. This is similar to Amazon Lightning Deals, except now in a live stream format.

Bonus Tip: 'Time Sales' like these are also popular in Japan, for those who have visited during Japan's annual January 2nd to 9th sale. Sales on select items last as short as 30 minutes, driving long line ups to pay within the designated time frame in order to secure the deal.

4. Rethinking the use of ‘gifts with purchase’.

Skincare and beauty brands want you to try as many products in their product range as possible because this increases the chance that you would come back and buy something else from the line. When I have shopped for beauty and cosmetics in North America, usually we get to choose which gifts with purchase items we want, but in China, you get different gifts with purchase items if you buy Item A, B or C. So, they 'restrict' access to the limited edition gifts, to drive sales of the corresponding products. 

Skincare brands are using gifts with purchase to drive sales of different products, because you might want to buy item A, but you want the gift from purchasing item B. What the salespeople are hoping will happen is that you buy both, because you want the limited gift that comes with item B.

Of course, the more you buy, the better the gift. This is a tried and true sales tactic. For example, with the Laneige shopping event, if your purchase is over 588 RMB, you receive a 6-piece gift set. Over 888 RMB, it's a 12-piece set.

These 4 tactics are what we have observed through live stream selling in China, and they are applicable to help drive more sales in the North American market as well, especially if you have a skincare brand that is targeting Chinese consumers.

If you are wondering how you can efficiently blend these tactics together to support an upcoming campaign or product launch for your beauty or skincare brand, get in touch with our Marketing Specialists and we can help you strategize on the optimal approach. Contact us today at info@catalystagents.com.