Ch. 5 - Developing a Global Vision

 Sephora’s global marketing approach has paved the way for their overall immense success. Sephora has revolutionized the global beauty business. Sephora operates approximately 1,300 stores in 27 countries worldwide including:

• China                                                

• Italy                                                   

• Mexico                                             

• Brazil                                                

• Canada                                            

• USA                                                  

• Portugal                                            

• Greece

• Polska

• España

• Türkiye

• Česká Republika

• France

• Nederlands

• Románia

Sephora has an expanding base of over 300 stores across North America. The first U.S. store was opened in New York in 1998, its first Canadian store in Toronto in 2004. Sephora's North American headquarters is located in San Francisco, with corporate offices in New York and Montreal.

Individual attention to customers is key Sephora’s success all over the globe, and the company’s marketing team takes a multichannel approach to delivering it. Sales consultants trained in skincare, haircare, makeup, fragrance and general beauty know-how are on hand to help in the stores. Email and web marketing, via Sephora.com and Facebook, reinforce and continue the personal attention that customers receive in Sephora’s uniquely designed stores. Sephora realized early on identifying individual tastes and preferences play a critical role in securing customer loyalty all over the world. Sephora has one of the savviest and most sophisticated customer relationship management programs to be found in any industry.

 

Ch. 4 - The Marketing Environment

Ch. 4 - The Marketing Environment

Sephora's number one priority has always been customer satisfaction; and so they have implemented a number of steps to ensure their customers are always happy and satisfied with their shopping experience. Further expanding the Sephora experience, for instance in 2009-10 Sephora realized that smart phones and other similar devices were here to stay. They also realized that customers wanted product reviews and were spending more time online. Sephora designed “Sephora to Go,” a mobile friendly website that can be accessed by  the majority of smart phones. Heavily  accessed by thousands of customers, “Sephora to Go” offers product reviews and ratings on all their products. Sephora continued to harness the power of technology  by creating a “Sephora to Go” iPhone application in October 2010. Earning 4.5 stars by users on iTunes, the iPhone app further expands the “Sephora to Go” mobile site by  offering customers the ability  to purchase products, view and purchase new products, view special mobile offers, get advice from other Sephora fans on Facebook, watch videos, access product ratings and reviews, look up past purchases, create a gift registry, and scan product barcodes to quickly pull up product information. 

Finally, in July 2011, Sephora completed the design and distribution of their iPad application.The iPad app was a smart decision on behalf Sephora because unlike their mobile website or iPhone app, it “features live beauty news from Sephoraʼs Facebook and Twitter feeds, its Beauty Talk community.

 Ch. 3 - Ethics & Social Responsibility

According to Sephora's wesite, “Sephora USA, Inc is committed to conducting business in a legal, ethical and responsible manner. We expect our suppliers to respect and adhere to the same business philosophy in the operation of their businesses.”

 The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (SB-657) requires retail sellers and manufacturers doing business in California to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking in their direct supply chain. To address the requirements of this Act, Sephora discloses the following:

·        Sephora shares with, and expects its direct product suppliers to adhere to and to implement, Sephora’s Supplier’s Code of Conduct. Sephora’s Supplier’s Code of Conduct addresses working conditions for suppliers and specifically prohibits the use of involuntary or forced labor, human trafficking, child labor, and harassment and abuse.

·        Sephora has communicated and will continue to communicate the requirements of our Supplier’s Code of Conduct to our direct suppliers to ensure that materials incorporated into our products comply with all applicable laws regarding slavery and human trafficking.

·        Sephora maintains internal accountability standards and procedures for employees and contractors who fail to meet our standards, including but not limited to prohibitions against slavery and trafficking.

Sephora’s corporate social responsibility for society’s welfare has led the company to contribute to the Conservation Cotton Initiative (CCI), by selling limited edition EDUN for Sephora make-up palettes. Each palette is enclosed in a natural wood case and an organic cotton drawstring pouch made in Uganda. Three dollars of each sale will go to the Wildlife Conservation Society to fund activities of the Conservation Cotton Initiative in Uganda. 

sephora's collection edun for sephora palette - contrast  

 Ch. 2 - Strategic Planning for Competitive Advantage

Sephora has always been ahead of trends and this innovative beauty retailer has targeted social media as its marketing strategy. Sephora’s marketing research found that 50% of women use their mobile for purchases and checking email every day. All of the social media, facebook, twitter, instagram, pintrest and YouTube have brought a whole new meaning to interactive customer shopping. Johnna Marcus is the marketing director of Sephora, started out on a mission to totally revamp Sephora’s wesite and now a newly launched and optimized website is truly a dynamic user experience. Reviews, how-to videos, inspirational beauty boards, and a forum dedicated to beauty are just a few ways Sephora has united the voice of the socially connected consumer on their website.Most recently, Sephora established “Pin It” buttons on all of their web and mobile product page to allow for quick and easy sharing on Pinterest. Also on Instagram Sephora gives their customers an exclusive behind the scenes view of the empire with snapshots and tutorials. They have more than  35,000 followers on Instagram to date. Sephora has also developed their own app which have been downloaded over 5 million times and their mobile sales saw a 300% increase in 2011.  Their YouTube channel has over 11 million views to date. Sephora’s marketing plan took years to complete and has the competitive advantage of other beauty retailers who have not yet taken a step into the technological future.

Launching of Sephora's new website.

      Ch.1 Overview of Marketing  (Brief History and   Mission Statement)

Brief History of Sephora

Sephora is the most successful chain of perfume and cosmetics store in France. It is also known and loved by diverse men and women all around the world. Sephora was founded by Dominique Mandonnaud in 1970 with her vision of putting a futuristic spin on the cosmetic retail business. Sephora introspective take on beauty retail makes knowledge of  beauty accessible to their clientele. Sephora developed "Science of Sephora." This program ensures that their representatives are trained to identify skin types, have knowledge of skin physiology, the history of makeup, application techniques, the science of creating fragrances. Sephora developed their own cosmetic label and in addition carries higher end emerging brands across a broad range of product categories including skincare, color, fragrance, body, smilecare, and haircare. Owned by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), the world's leading luxury goods group. Sephora operates approximately 1,300 stores in 27 countries worldwide, with an expanding base of over 300 stores across North America. Sephora opened its first U.S. store in New York in 1998, its first Canadian store in Toronto in 2004. Sephora's North American headquarters is located in San Francisco, with corporate offices in New York and Montreal. Also Sephora.com was launched in the U.S. in 1999 and Canada in 2003, the foremost beauty site on the Internet is also Sephora's largest North American store in terms of sales and selection of products and brands. In 2007, Sephora launched a client loyalty program as a way of thanking clients with special products, exclusive information, and an all-access pass to personalized beauty. The Beauty Insider program is available in Sephora stores nationwide and at www.sephora.com. In 2009, Sephora launched V.I.B. [Very Important Beauty Insider], a premium level for Beauty Insiders giving clients access to exclusive gifts, event invitations, and early access to select products. Sephora is highly regarded as a beauty trendsetter, thanks to its unparalleled assortment of prestige products, unbiased service from experts, interactive shopping environment. 

Sephora's Mission Statement 

According to Sephora's About Us

To build the most knowledgeable and professional team of product consultants in the beauty industry.