Beauty is in the iPhone, Blackstone Bets On India eComm, Captain Planet at it Again

Beauty is in the i...Phone

The Beauty industry, as well as the fashion & apparel industry, were amongst the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic. Due to the fact that these industries rely on in-person brick-and-mortar shopping to browse their high number of SKUs, find the right fit, and test product quality, the beauty industry has struggled to adjust to the digital shopping experience. Until now.

Estée Lauder Co. Goes Digital in a Big Way

While traditionally relying on in-person samples and consultations, Estée Lauder Co. (ELC) has begun to rethink digital shopping. This week, Clinique (an ELC brand) quietly launched a new site in the UK, which features video chat consultations, product demos using augmented reality, the ability to shop based on product preferences, skin types and recommendations based on user data. Soon, they will roll out a feature for friends to shop together online from various locations, customize their own storefronts and control their digital shopping journey from end-to-end.

Nicky De Simone, enterprise marketing and transformation at Estée Lauder Companies, says “One of the things shoppers love about going to the store is that social connectivity. As much as we have pivoted digitally, we were still losing the customer along the way. [We] will leverage data to route a consumer’s consultation through to the right consultant for them and who will be able to make smarter recommendations.”

Tech FTW

Personalization has been a major e-commerce trend for many industries (think: supplements), due to the widespread ability to collect personal information and deliver services and recommendations based on consumer preferences. Beyond big data, other emerging technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, chatbots and personal assistants are creating new avenues for brands to engage with their customers at scale. Companies like L’Oreal have made big investments when it comes to digitizing their shopping experience.

But is There More to Life Than Being Really, Really, Ridiculously Good-Looking?

No.

Blackstone Bets On India E-Commerce

Already the largest owner of office buildings in India, Blackstone Group Inc., has now publicized plans to become the country’s largest owner of warehouses, as well. While e-commerce continues to rise in India, the investment firm plans to spend $720 million to purchase 3.5 million square feet of industrial warehouses, as well as 18 million square feet of development sites that could be used for fulfillment and logistics properties.

Captain Planet At It Again

Before hosting the upcoming global climate summit (which falls on Earth Day) with world leaders from China, India, and more, President Joe Biden pledges to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030, more than doubling the previous agreement under the 2015 Paris Climate Accord. in the latest push by the administration to aggressively combat climate change. This pledge comes after more than 300 businesses called on President Joe Biden earlier this month to readjust their gas emission targets.

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