Virtual Beauty
Debenhams has opened a virtual beauty room as it looks for new ways to reach its customers at a time when many of its its shops are closed as a result of the second Covid-19 lockdown in England. Shoppers can choose one of two avenues for getting beauty advice while stores are closed. The first is to book one-to-one 30-minute consultations on Debenhams’ website with, to start, skincare brand Shiseido and with make-up brands Givenchy and Bare Minerals. More brands may be included in the future. The second is to join social media masterclasses taking place every week on Facebook and Instagram, featuring brands including Clarions and YSL.
Steven Cook, co-chief executive and managing director of Debenhams, says: “During these challenging times, health, beauty and wellbeing is more important than ever before. We wanted to ensure that our customers could still have access to our beauty experts to support them with all their beauty needs without having to leave home. That’s why we have introduced the virtual beauty room and we are delighted to be able to deliver free of charge consultations and masterclasses from some of the very best beauty houses across the globe.” The beauty category has been key to Debenhams’ work to re imagine the role of the department store for a digital age. The Debenhams Beauty Club Card has seen more than 185,000 new sign-ups so far this year, while its Beauty Club Community launched on Facebook earlier this year.