SSG.com Sees Increase in Online Cosmetic Purchases as Contactless Shopping Rises Due to COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the number of people purchasing cosmetics online has significantly increased.

According to SSG.com on the 5th, cosmetics-related sales from January 27 to March 4 increased by more than 50% compared to the same period last year. As non-face-to-face purchases expanded, the online purchasing area diversified not only for food but also for cosmetics.

Specifically, body care products saw the largest sales increase at 98.5%, followed by skincare at 80%, and luxury cosmetics at 63.6%. With growing interest in personal hygiene, body wash among body care products increased by 143.7%, and sunscreen and cleansing products among skincare showed growth rates in the 80% range, resulting in a significant rise in purchases.

In particular, the sales growth of luxury cosmetics was remarkable. Among them, ‘foundation’ showed the highest increase at 87%. Luxury lipsticks also saw a 33% sales increase, which is analyzed as the ‘lipstick effect’ appearing online, where more expensive lipsticks sell better during economic downturns.

The increase in luxury cosmetics sales is attributed to the recently opened 'Monday Moon' beauty specialty section on SSG.com. The 'Monday Moon' review corner introduced keyword search, allowing users to check detailed information through product attribute searches such as ‘moisturizing foundation’ and ‘foundation with good adhesion.’ Also, by registering their skin information, users can receive customized product recommendations down to the specific shade number in the ‘My Pouch’ section.

This aimed to maintain a shopping experience similar to receiving product recommendations through conversations with store staff. Additionally, the purchasing process was made more convenient to maximize customer convenience. Combined with the untact culture, this is creating a synergistic effect that boosts sales.

Reflecting the trend of expanding online cosmetics purchases, the number of luxury brands entering the beauty product market is also increasing.

From the 4th, SSG.com started selling ‘Herm?s Beauty’ products, mainly lipsticks, offering 31 items. Since the 4th of last month, ‘Gucci Beauty’ lipstick products have been available, with 90 items across 4 lines (Matte, Satin, Sheer, Lip Balm).

Choi Taek-won, Head of Sales at SSG.com, said, “We provide various services through ‘Monday Moon’ to give sufficient explanations and information about products that rival those in stores even for online purchases,” adding, “Considering the untact trend, we will strengthen personalized recommendations and enhance reviews.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.