Australian beauty brands investing in bricks and mortar stores

Rituals Cosmetics is one major brand planning a physical presence expansion, and is reportedly intending to increase its portfolio by three stores in Sydney malls alone, according to the Australian Financial Review​.

The brand launched in the country only last year, with stories in Westfield Parramatta and Westfield Miranda, and says its malls are a cost-effective retail space in which to establish a physical presence in the country.

"We believe very strongly in malls; they have a diverse demographic and are a little more representative of the Australian market​," said CEO and founder Raymond Cloosterman, the Australian Financial Review reports.

The Dutch brand joins other international beauty companies who have recently set up shop in the country, including Lush from the UK, and France’s Sephora.

Interactive and immersive​

An immersive retail experience is essential for those brands who do invest in a physical presence, as a tactile and interactive transaction is the key draw for consumers looking for an alternative to the online store.

"We offer a really different retail experience from anything else that is available in the Australian market. We really want to encourage freedom inside our stores​," Sephora's business development director for the Asia region Libby Andersen told Fairfax Media on the brand’s recent launch in the country.

"You should feel free to wander around a store and at any stage be able to touch and feel the products. There should be testers available for everything. So for every single product that you see, there should be a price readily displayed so people will always know what the products are about and how much they cost​."

The fun and immersive retail experience is increasingly crucial particularly for younger consumers, according to Euromonitor International. A recent report from the market research firm states that millennials seek out “a curated but interactive sales environment, whether retail or online​”.