Tips for Selling Cosmetics Online Successfully

Online selling is booming and growing fast, and selling cosmetics online is one of the most promising areas. Although cosmetics are very popular, you will run into many difficulties if you don't know how to sell cosmetics online . This article will give you an overall view of this business area, along with experience to sell cosmetics online effectively and boost your revenue. Let's find out!

Current trends in online selling

Online selling keeps getting hotter

The number of internet users in Vietnam keeps growing strongly. It has now reached 30 million people (30% of the population), placing Vietnam in the top 20 countries with the most internet users. So we can't deny the potential of this market.

Moreover, new online sales channel brings many immediate benefits, so many people have chosen this way of doing business over traditional retail. You don't have to worry about the cost of renting a shop, a warehouse or hiring staff. And if you sell online, using advertising formats and tools becomes more effective and costs much less than traditional advertising, and customers can reach you faster than ever. Another plus is that as your brand grows, you can reach the global market easily thanks to the flexible nature of online business.

See more:

• Guide to effective online selling: 10+ online sales channels for you
• Why do online sellers ask customers to inbox for the price?

The potential of the cosmetics market right now:

In online business, the range of goods you can offer customers is just as wide as in traditional retail. Although the Covid pandemic hurt the global economy and industries in general, and it seemed there was no hope left, not every industry was knocked down. Beauty spending in Vietnam is still trending upward compared with other countries in the Asian region, especially through online cosmetics sales channels.

When the pandemic broke out, people seemed to pay more attention to taking care of themselves. Specifically, personal care products made up 29% of consumption, and home care grew 11.4%. Based on the data table below, demand for basic skin products rose 60%, and people who use cosmetics regularly increased their spending by 40%. This is surely a good sign for anyone choosing to sell cosmetics online now, or at least in the near future.

Some of the most widely used cosmetic products

How often consumers use skincare products

Tips for selling cosmetics online effectively and for the long term

What should you prepare before you start selling cosmetics online?

If you have decided to sell cosmetics online in your upcoming plans, this is the time to equip yourself with basic knowledge before you officially start.

• Set specific goals in every respect

Learn about the cosmetics industry

Before you can do something well, understanding the field, or at least having basic knowledge of it, is necessary and worth doing. If you want customers to trust you, you have to build that trust yourself with the knowledge you've prepared.

Building trust is one of the first steps that makes customers stop to compare you with countless other choices. So spend some time and effort learning about cosmetics technology in general, and about the cosmetic products you choose to start selling online in particular, so your business has a firmer foundation. Once you are well prepared, you can confidently support customers and handle all their questions and problems, giving them the most sensible advice and solutions. This also builds up customers' trust in you.

Choose the type of cosmetics to target

Before you look for safe, high-quality sources of goods, you need to know what the main product line for your sales channel will be. In a huge market with many kinds of products, you need to decide which type of cosmetics to focus on selling and promoting first. Once you've won a certain market share and number of customers, you can expand into other product lines more easily.

Here are some popular types of cosmetics you can consider when you sell cosmetics online.

• Natural beauty products: more and more customers are starting to prefer natural cosmetics because they are safe, affordable and deliver the results they need.
• Hand-carried (imported) goods: usually products from the US, France, Korea, Japan, Thailand and so on.
• Domestic cosmetics: Products made in Vietnam.

Choose where your cosmetics come from

Next is choosing the source of the cosmetics, a step that is just as important and takes quite a lot of time. To last in any business, cosmetics included, you need a supply from reputable distributors. Products must have a clear origin, guaranteed quality and full paperwork, and a reasonable price so that your retail price isn't pushed too high compared with the market. A clear source means you won't have to worry about the risks your customers might face. You can also keep to a minimum any health problems customers have after buying from you, which you would naturally be responsible for.

Google is a popular search engine that can connect you with most wholesale and retail cosmetics suppliers. Facebook and Instagram are not bad options either. Take the time to research the source, and compare prices between distributors carefully before you decide. Nobody wants to get burned badly on their first order, right?

• Make a clear business plan

Target customers

Once you've chosen your products and found your source, you need to choose your target customers. Who will you sell to? What kind of people are they? Knowing your customers will decide how you run your business and make the way you promote your products more sensible.

There are many questions that help you define your customers clearly, and the more precisely you define them, the simpler the business becomes. Here are some basic questions you can use:

• Age
• Gender
• Where they live
• The work
• Interests
• Behavior

Who are your competitors?

Next, find out which sellers are currently going after the same product and the same customers you chose. Then look at their strengths and weaknesses. Learn from their weaknesses, study what they do well, and build your own point of difference and value, giving customers a reason to choose you over your competitors.

Focus on just 3 to 5 of the strongest and most prominent competitors. Too many will only confuse you!

Choose a sales channel to sell cosmetics online

In online business, a sales channel is a must. There are many options, from the simplest to the most complex, depending on your scale.

Personal Facebook

This is the simplest sales channel: use your own personal account to sell cosmetics online. This gives you a base of trust from family and friends who were already connected with you, and they may be among your first customers. If your product is good and meets their needs, they will advertise for you by sharing your posts or introducing you to people they know.

However, posting too much about your products on a personal account can backfire. Some people will feel uncomfortable or annoyed and gradually ignore your new posts, even forget your account.

See more:

• 10 social networks you should join and 100+ things you should know
• Marketing on Zalo: an effective way to sell online

Group/ Fanpage

Next are groups or fanpage with people interested in topics related to the cosmetics you sell. These could be beauty groups, skincare tip-sharing groups or cosmetics review groups. These are ideal places to post about the cosmetics you sell and still get people's attention. Keep your tone natural so your post doesn't read as pure advertising.

Tips: Try to write like a consumer who has actually tried the product. It builds trust and raises the share of customers who give you a chance by trying the product through the link you leave in the post!

E-commerce platforms

73% of customers tend to buy on e-commerce. That is why this is a marketplace as busy as the traditional one. Shopee, Lazada, Tiki and others are familiar names that almost every customer picks for buying and selling online, where they can compare prices and read real experiences and reviews from real users. At this point, would you like your own shop selling cosmetics online on an e-commerce platform?

Your own website for selling cosmetics online

The last channel on the list is also the one that takes the most effort, thinking and even money, because you are building a sales channel just for yourself: a website. Investing in a website takes not only time but also a long-term plan for the unique marks and values, compared with your competitors, that you want to bring to customers on your website. Ideally you build it from the very first steps.

You can build a website yourself by learning the basic tutorials and using free website builders such as Wix, WordPress, Weebly,… .

If you don't feel confident, don't have time, or feel you're not creative enough?

Turn to professional website design services for support. They can help you build a strong, fully functional sales site that fits your needs. This type of service is also increasingly sought out by sellers on the market today, so it is worth trying too!

At MONA Media, you will find what you need: Cosmetics online store website, Sales app with support and consulting from A to Z and much more!

Things you should know while running your business:

Marketing is the key that brings customers to you.

In this 4.0 era, none of us can deny the power of marketing. Whether you win a large number of customers, and whether they are the right audience, depends on how you market. Take the time to find the product promotion methods that suit you best and work best!

Tips: 

Focus on the value your product brings to customers.

Instead of dwelling on what product you offer, personalize your content to show that you understand customers' problems better than they do, and even better, that you have the solution! Great, right?

See more:

• Overview of online marketing methods
• 9 unwritten rules of social media marketing
• 20 social media marketing tips from leading experts

Run promotions

To optimize your marketing strategy, use promotions to attract customers and spark their urge to shop. In practice, a promotion can somehow turn things that “seemed unnecessary” into “maybe I do need this”, especially for women. So use this to win customers who weren't planning to buy. Who knows, after trying the product they may become loyal customers!

Have a tight financial management plan

To control your capital and profit, you need to keep full records, organized in a sensible and systematic way. Record everything about your business every day and every month. For example: the cost of the cosmetics, shipping fees, pickup, advertising fees and even unplanned expenses.

Recording costs and related activities may seem small and simple, but it is extremely important. If you don't record them, you won't know whether you are doing business well, whether you are doing it the right way, or how much you are making or losing. Only then can you fix the mistakes you're making and build on your strengths for steady, sustainable growth.

We hope this article is useful and helps you somewhat in your online business, specifically sell cosmetics online coming up!

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