Parent company Estée Lauder is embracing the e-commerce giant’s platform, and more brands plan to open storefronts there in the coming months.
Over the years, Clinique has leaned into experiential retail by opening pop-ups and shop-in-shops within department stores. The move to Amazon is the brand’s latest iteration of expanding its base while staying on target with its strategy to create engaging customer experiences.
“Since inception, Clinique has always offered dermatologist and allergy guided solutions to educate and enable consumers to customize their skincare regimens to match their needs,” an Estée Lauder spokeswoman told Retail Dive in an email.
Clinique has continuously made strides toward skincare customization using retail and consumer testing. The partnership with Amazon is just the latest.
“We are thrilled to be strategically expanding our consumer reach in the U.S. as a select few Estée Lauder Companies brands open dedicated storefronts in Amazon’s fast-growing Premium Beauty destination over the coming months, starting with Clinique today,” Fabrizio Freda, president and CEO of The Estée Lauder Companies, said in a statement.
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In 2019, Clinique launched a stand-alone store with a pop-up concept called Clinique iD in New York’s SoHo neighborhood. The pop-up, which lasted ten days, allowed customers to test samplers and get a skincare diagnosis to help them find the right moisturizer.
The temporary pop-up experience was “to bring Clinique’s heritage of skin care customization and tailoring into contemporary conversations on a trend of customization that was surging at the time of launch,” an Estée Lauder spokesperson said in an email. “This pop-up also brought the brand’s heritage of consultants and analysis into the experience.”
Three years later, Clinique rolled out the Clinique Lab in Macy’s at Herald Square in New York City. The lab, which included the brand’s diagnostics tool—Clinique Clinical Reality—provided skin care and beauty recommendations to consumers. According to the company, there are now 28 Macy’s locations featuring the lab concept.
The Clinique Lab launched in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa last year with a metaverse twist. Through a digital environment on desktop or mobile devices, customers can create custom avatars and browse its products, talk with a Clinique consultant, and get skincare tips, according to Clinique spokeswoman.
The partnership with Amazon is a result of a “shared vision to inspire customers through unique shopping experiences and technology, meeting customers where they are, and helping them to explore and discover all this incredible brand has to offer,” Melis del Rey, general manager of Amazon U.S. Stores Beauty, Baby and Beauty Technology, said in a statement. “Clinique is a beauty brand revered worldwide, drawing on a rich heritage of dermatological expertise, and beloved across generations of customers.”
