The beauty leader provides a personalized experience for each customer, regardless of how they first engage with the brand. By interacting with customers via site, email, and mobile devices, the brand creates a customized omnichannel storefront for every individual shopper. Beyond collaborative filtering and attribute-based product recommendations, Sephora uses customer sign-up data and purchase information to make recommendations that not only fit their product interests, but complements their beauty profile as well.

The loyal customer base of this retail giant enjoys its multi-tiered Beauty Insider program, where shoppers engage with a community of like-minded beauty lovers to talk products, makeup ideas, skincare results, beauty routines  and everything in between. Plus, brand-created beauty profiles let every shopper share their reviews and be seen by other customers. Many competitors have either not prioritized this type of community building, or aren’t successfully hooking members the way Sephora is.

While many retail brands struggled to make new customer touchpoints support their brands during this pandemic, Sephora continued to thrive. The brand continues to provide its renowned try-before-you-buy service through virtual reality (VR) services and virtual tutorials. Virtual personal shopping experiences and skincare consultations also provide customers with a personalized, familiar in-store shopping experience from inside the comfort of their own home.