The online beauty industry can be a very lucrative and profitable market.
Many professionals are entering the online retail industry, selling skin care products online. Skin professionals and brands that want to successfully sell skin care products online must have a comprehensive approach.
A company or entrepreneur should incorporate a diverse and more comprehensive approach to sales, marketing, and management of online infrastructures. Online business activities are different in many aspects then running a brick and mortar business.
Professionals such as aestheticians, dermatologists, skin care product brands, skin clinics, and other skin related professionals often are selling skin care products online or at least desire to do so.
The skin care industry is a multi-billion dollar business, estimated to be worth US 43 billion per year. It has steadily grown in the past years, and is expected to grow over 7% more this year. Europe and the US are the biggest markets of the industry, accounting for over 50% of global skin care sales. Asian and Latin markets are some of the fastest growing beauty markets for skin care product sales.
Start to Sell Skin Care Products Online
In order to sell products online, a business needs the proper setup and infrastructure. A skin care professional will have choices and options; this includes budgets and certain levels of service. If a skin care professional does not know where to start or how to choose, considering the help of skin care business consulting can greatly help the process.
A consultant works with multiple business types and can be of great help, avoiding costly mistakes and pitfalls. To start selling skin care products online, a business will need several things in place and properly setup.
Setup for Selling Skin Care Products Online
- Website Design & Development
- E-commerce Application
- Store Design & Setup
- Merchant Account & Services
- Website Content
- Marketing & Advertising
- Promotions & Shopping Incentives
- Shipping & Handling System
- E-Commerce Sales Management
- Reports & Statistics
Running an online business comes with many benefits, but it can as well be overwhelming. Business activities are different and potentially new, which can add an element of difficulty for skin care professionals.
In most cases, skin care professionals fail to understand the importance of proper setup to sell skin care products online successfully. In addition, online marketing and advertising requirements are often not understood well or required campaigns are not deployed or well executed.
Skin Care Websites
Skin care websites with e-commerce abilities are the foundation for selling products online. Too often, poor architected and designed websites are used with even more poor e-commerce applications and systems. In order to make money, in a very competitive market such as the beauty industry, e-commerce websites have to be done properly and professionally.
Skin professionals have 2 e-commerce website choices
1. Hosted and Leased E-commerce Website Solutions
2. Open-Source Skin Care E-commerce Websites
Hosted & Leased E-commerce Websites
Hosted or often called leased e-commerce solutions and websites are options that come with a small or no upfront cost, but with a larger monthly fee. There is a third party company that hosts the website, manages merchant services, and provides other solutions around e-commerce and websites.
These websites are quick to launch and easy to utilize for a skin care business. The downside is the lack of control, lack of marketing abilities, no ownership, and long-term benefits. It is not a solution chosen if given a choice. Most pick this path, when there is a small budget or no budget available. In some instances, a company just needs an ability to clear orders through electronic commerce, and chooses a hosted solution that is managed.
Skin care companies that wish to grow and market their websites to achieve sales and own and/or have more control would choose a open-source e-commerce solution and website.
Open-Source E-commerce Websites
Open-source means free and many e-commerce applications are free these days. A skin care business just needs to pay a website designer or company to setup, install, and custom design a skin care website with e-commerce store and other vital elements.
Open-source website systems that offer e-commerce can be such as WordPress, Magento, and other popular applications. These systems come with complete Content Management Systems (CMS), sales administration, and merchant services setup. Once setup and designed, skin care professionals receive a powerful tool to sell skin care products online.
These types of solutions do not come with a monthly fee. They are free after the launch of the website aside from hosting fees, which are minimal. The upfront cost is greater, but there are no monthly fees. Open-source websites come with a host of benefits, long-term and short. They are the ideal solution for anyone who plans to invest resources into marketing and advertising skin care products.
Marketing & Advertising Skin Care Products
To sell skin care products online successfully, marketing and advertising will be a key activity for skin care professionals. In order to be successful with an e-commerce website, the following marketing and advertising strategies should be properly setup, deployed, and managed.
Marketing & Advertising Campaigns
- Search Engine Optimization
- Social Media Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Paid Advertising
- Print Advertising
- Conversion Optimization
- Public Relations
Marketing and advertising online can be overwhelming to professionals, who want to sell skin care products online. Marketing professionals and experts through marketing consulting services can in more detail explain and review all options and budgets. Skin care professionals can educate themselves and examine all options with consultants prior to allocating budgets, hiring vendors, and making decisions.
Professionals can be hired short term to execute and implement the proper e-commerce solutions and give the skin care business the best possible start. To ensure this, experts can guide, advice, and manage aspects of the online business.
