A number of new players emerged stronger through the pandemic latching on to a hybrid model of online and offline
Shantanu Deshpande, founder, Bombay Shaving Company
Image: Amit Verma
Vivek Sahni, CEO, Kama Ayurveda
Unlike some of the mainstream smaller players, the luxury beauty brands had a tough time making the shift from offline to online—for some it affected growth too. For Kama Ayurveda, pre-pandemic 70 percent was offline and 30 percent online. However, Vivek Sahni, CEO, Kama Ayurveda, says, “Sixty percent of our total business continued to remain online, with the other 40 percent came in through our stores.” The company's online presence has grown by 140 percent, but the stores have seen a 20 percent reduction in growth since the pandemic. A majority of communication moved online, directing customers to Kama Ayurveda's websites. The content on the brand's social media handles also pivoted away from product-centric communication. “We started posting about topics we believed would resonate better with consumers at such times. An example of this would be at-home yoga tutorials, live sessions, and four Spotify playlists under Calm with Kama,” says Sahni. Social media became the go-to channel for brands to reach out to audiences. "Brands used social media channels to interact with customers and share DIY tips for haircare and skincare. In order to keep their brand on top of consumer’s mind, they would engage in live sessions with well-known celebrity artists through an online medium," says Rajat Wahi, partner, Deloitte India. Online beauty consultations were introduced as a replacement for the in-store experience and they also set up a pan India IVR number for customers. The brand is currently looking to improve and intensify the customer facing experience, online as well as offline. Like Kama Ayurveda, France-based luxury personal care brand L’Occitane was also offline-focussed until the pandemic. The brand had to innovate to continue being relevant during the pandemic. "At L’Occitane, it [the pandemic] has reiterated the company’s belief that though retail would always be important, digital is the way ahead. With the pandemic, the entire experience of visiting the store, consulting with the expert in-store came to a pause,” says Simi Dewan, country head (DGM) of L’Occitane India. L’Occitane India has now been focussing on building its online presence through platforms like Nykaa. Dewan adds, “Digitally, with our WhatsApp chat service, people could seek advice from our experts to pick products basis their requirements. To elevate this further, we launched the one-on-one video consultation sessions with L’Occitane experts online.” Though the brand's focus moved to online, they are hoping to continue expanding their online and offline channels across India. Additionally, L’Occitane has launched 22 new products. One of the key trends over the last year is that people are more conscious of what they buy and how much they buy. Dewan explains, “Product ingredients are being looked into and thought of much more than it was ever before; there is also a focus towards making more sustainable choices when consumers buy any product." Simi Dewan, country head (DGM) of L’Occitane India