Sephora
Integration of retail and digital platforms is critical for success of an enterprise; this is because of the recent technological developments witnessed in the recent past that has virtually transformed business operations (Ryan, 2014). Moreover, users have also advanced through acquisition of more knowledge and awareness, they are so much sophisticated that business enterprise must keep up with the pace of their sophistication. Sephora has been in the forefront in retailing cosmetics products and services to its customers and in light with advancement in technology and service provision, the company launched its website in 1999 that has been instrumental in discovering new business strategies of reaching their customers.
E-Marketing Analysis
The company is operating a website that was launched in 1999 and is available at , the website has been vital for success of the company since it has helped in reaching more target customers through creation of awareness. It has been established that the company operates on a merchant model, because the merchant model is a business model that comprises selling goods or services over the internet (Honigman, 2015). Social media platforms have been critical in reaching clients, enhancing customer experience and aiding business activities and include Twitter: @Sephora Facebook: YouTube: @Sephora and Instagram: @Sephora Through the social media platforms the company is able to post their best-selling, new arrival product and services, prepare videos and occasionally promote codes in the social media to attract customers’ attention. Moreover, potential customers can sign up in Sephora website with their emails and choose the weekly new letters, and if some product sold up online, customers can click the “email me when back in store” (Honigman, 2015). As part of their initiatives to embrace mobile technologies the company recently launched their mobile application that clients can download and use (Honigman, 2015). Development of the mobile app was necessitated with the need to emulate the knowledge of a personal shopping assistant or a Sephora sales associate in that, it provides product recommendations, reviews, pricing information and a simple format that helps make it easy for a customer to purchase products (Honigman, 2015).
Search Marketing and Email Marketing
Search marketing is very effective on the website for instance, a client who wants the ‘Prada’ product can effectively type the word on the search box and it will provide a list of the products customized to meet different user requests and taste. However, upon typing the name of the product on a search engine, series of results were displayed but unfortunately Sephora was not among the results. This means that to ensure successful search, the product name must be used together with the company name since this will automatically direct the client to the website and product. Since subscribing to their weekly email newsletter I have received several emails concerning the products, it is also easy to unsubscribe though I don’t not wish to do so. I was overwhelmed with their email marketing strategy that entailed sharing large quantity of information in a concise way. This is often accompanied by vivid pictures displaying their most recent or popular products, creative gift ideas and editor picks and these emails keep me informed about what reward is currently available for the number of points that I have in their loyalty reward program.
Social Media Marketing
It has been asserted that Sephora has initiated and improved their online presence through the available mobile application platforms of twitter, Facebook and Instagram (Sephora, 2016). Their customer response on twitter has been the most active since they spend a lot of time responding to customers, their responses are very informative and prompt. The Instagram presence has been instrumental for their success with posts that give first peeks of much-anticipated product line and are executed in a particularly eye-pleasing way (Honigman, 2015). Facebook has also been crucial in their resolve to attract more customers and improve client experience through their comprehensive content that goes through the platform. The audiences are extensively engaged through multiple quick replies about their queries and multiple posting of content in all the social media platforms they operate. Customer care support is above board since they go to the extent of demonstrating how certain products are used and portray the end result of using their multiple products. I would recommend that they transverse other social media platforms like Whatsapp that have gained popularity in recent times.
Comparative Web Metrics and Mobile Marketing
Mobile marketing for the company has been necessitated with their mobile and desktop web application that includes two features dubbed “swipe it, shop it” and “beauty uncomplicator” that is helpful for the users to browse through thousands of makeup and beauty tools to find what they’re looking for (Honigman, 2015). Moreover, the company has created more than 1000 pictures of their products that swatch through the application in form of running ads. The mobile application is easy to use and the experience after using the application of extremely enjoyable since it has provisions for sending messages where the company team can easily respond to queries. Web metrics conducted indicates that the company is ranked 1,381globally and 353 in United States where their bounce rates is 25.70 percent, page views stands at 7.59 percent and daily time on site is 7:30. Compared to other companies, Sephora has performed extremely well due to its customer satisfaction responses and feedback they receive from their online marketing strategies and this has been one reason why the company has been successful.
References
Honigman Brian. (2015). Sailthru: How Sephora Integrates Retail & Online Marketing.
Retrieved November 2, 2016,
Ryan, D. (2014). Understanding digital marketing: Marketing strategies for engaging the digital
generation. London ; Philadelphia : Kogan Page.
Sephora. Web. Retrieved November 2, 2016,