Online shopping aid for beauty industry

The launch of the manager site for brands and retailers to upload product, price, promotion and store information for the brands they represent or stock is now live. The consumer site for shoppers is scheduled to go live in July.

Beauty brands and retailers can manage their messages to consumers at a manager's site, communicating key messages and promotions to shoppers when they are most receptive, thereby maximising brand awareness and message retention. Retailers, from large chains to small independent pharmacies, can increase foot traffic and in-store spend by uploading store location and in-store beauty promotions.

"The site gives beauty brands the opportunity to deliver targeted, undiluted messages to shoppers and the opportunity to create self-defined promotional campaigns with partnering retailers and further reward shoppers for brand loyalty," says Mark Bradshaw of Kaboose.

The site offers the ability to meet individual beauty needs, while or before shopping, through customised product, price and location searches. Shoppers can also share and receive expert and peer advice and benefit from exclusive deals and brand loyalty awards.

Bradshaw says global trends indicate that 90% of shopping is still done in-store. Over 50% of these shoppers are using their phones to access information while they shop, as traditional in-store tactics, such as packaging, merchandising, point-of-sale and in-store assistants do not always provide real-time product information needed to make a purchase decision.

Bradshaw developed Kaboose in partnership with Tina Fisher. Their international experience as senior brand strategists and marketers for the likes of Union Swiss and Pfizer, exposed them to how technology is changing global shopping trends.

"The needs of shoppers, brands and retailers are not being met given the limitations of the current in-store shopping environment. We saw an opportunity to facilitate the interaction and provide the best value to each," says Fisher.

The site is not exclusive to a brand or retailer. Any beauty brand or store can build its brand awareness with shoppers by adding its information to the manager site, manager.kaboose.co.za, free. Trade users can then self-manage their message and spend by choosing to participate in additional value-added opportunities to increase brand and store exposure on the site.

For more information, call +27 (0) 21 423 3113 or email az.oc.ruofereht@nimda. The website will be www.kaboose.co.za.