Experimentation and Product Trial at Lipstick Displays

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- Research Design

This research used the close observation method to observe the consumer behavior in order to uncover the factors that influence their attitude and decisions. Considering that customers could not try lipsticks in drug and pharmacy stores such as CVS and Walgreen, we chose the following distribution channels to conduct our observation. (1)Specialty stores such as MAC (2) Multi-brands outlets such as Sephora (3)Department stores such as Macy’s.

We visited the stores on weekends because the stores have higher footfall so that we could have more objects of observation. Our observation started when consumers were exploring at lipsticks counters and ended when consumers left the lipsticks displays. In multi-brand outlets, chances are that consumers may consider purchasing other cosmetics products before going to the cashier. Therefore, we were not going to confirm the purchase action in the cashier. If consumers put the lipsticks in the baskets, we assumed that they were going to buy it. By behaving like customers, we observed the phenomenon with less chances to be noticed. We pretended to try lipstick to conduct close observation, and acted as texting messages when we used cell phones to take notes. Also, we designed a note-take template (see Exhibit 3) to record any details that could be the stimulus of the customers’ behavior.

- Research Analysis and Interpretation

A number of findings were found in this observation. One includes the intrapersonal factors like hygienic concern and trail experience that will influence the customer’s lipstick trial behavior, and the other two respects are the interpersonal (companion) factor and the different formats of retailers respectively.

Intrapersonal factors that influence lipstick trial behavior

The intrapersonal factors such as hygienic problem and personal lipstick trail experiences play an important role in consumer’s decision making process to purchase lipsticks.

The worries about the sanitation of sample lipsticks might restrain customers’ trial motivation leading to sales decrease. This assumption is supported by our observation and secondary researches. Firstly, we found that customers were less likely to try the disgusting-looking lipsticks directly on their lips, so they had to try the color on hands. For example, one customer tried one lipstick which had smooth and “clean” surface on her lips but tried the rugged lipstick on her hand. However, according to celebrity makeup artist Rae Morris, the skin tone is not like the skin tone of our lips. Thus, customers usually cannot make decisions merely by trying the color against the skin tone of hand. Just as we observed, almost all the customers who tried lipsticks on their lips purchased the lipsticks at last; customers who tried colors only on hand or even didn’t try, however, usually gave up purchasing the lipstick. In addition, in the observation, two customers’ trial behavior were found different from others. One tried the color on her hand at first, and then put the hand next to her lips. The other one also tried the color on the hand firstly, and then put the lipstick next to her face. At last, they both didn’t buy the lipsticks. It is very possible that they could not figure out whether the color fits them good even if they had put the color next to their face.

The personal lipstick trail experience is another key factor of product trails. Once some consumers try lipsticks on their lips, they would like to take product trails in innumerable times. Because according to the research, consumers with low motivation, liability and opportunity and with emotional drive would try lipsticks numerously. Additionally, trying lipsticks is the most real and trustful way to elucidate whether the lipsticks fit them. However, the tissue and remover water the cosmetic stores provided are low quality. Most of those consumers had to wipe their lips at least three times to totally remove after they tried one lipstick. After they have tried three to six different lipsticks, from their nonverbal clues, specifically their frown, showing that they were losing patient and getting little angry. Licking lips by themselves and wiping their lips by their hands while watching the mirror showed their lips were chapped and dry because of using low quality tissue and remove water. Then, in the next product trail, the color drawn by lipsticks on their lips were unevenly and some of lipsticks were lumped. Consequently, they wiped lipsticks again quickly and left with tightened lips without purchasing because the unhappy experiences have negative impacts on their attitude, such as losing their interests, for the reason that consumer’s mood could influence affective attitude and then, affects the purchasing behavior. Many lipsticks, especially MAC’s lipsticks, are not moist enough so that frequent product trails without moisturizing would make lips into a slightly dehydrated situation. Therefore, lipsticks could not express the best performance but make consumers to challenge their quality and the impression. As a result, the sales of lipsticks would decrease.

Companion’s impacts on the lipstick trial behavior

In cosmetics retailers like Sephora, customers will always face multiple choices. For those who have not strong intention to purchase a lipstick may easily get into hesitation during their exploring, selecting and trying process. At this moment, social interaction plays an important role in consumer’s attitude formation and decision-making. To be specific, the presence of companions beside the consumers can be a vital environmental stimulus (Borges, Chebat, & Babin, 2010).

Several couples of customers and their companions were observed. Their friends were found exerting impacts on consumers’ lipstick trial and later decision making, such as giving advice and providing lipstick information. For example, two around-25 Asian women stopped in front of the YSL lipstick display. One was wearing delicate make-up while the other looked plainer. The plainer woman said, “I don’t know…MAC and YSL, which brand suits me?” and her friend said, “Well as for me, YSL is my first choice. MAC is too dry. Try this one. It’s the best-selling color. I also have one. ” Then she just tried on YSL on lips but she looked at the mirror for 5 minutes, hesitating. The friend kept saying “You know this color is so well-selling, all the displays in China have already out of stock. ” Finally they bought this lipstick. As can be seen from this example, the companion shared her experience of the lipstick and the shopper is open and willing to listen