Beauty Sampling Gaining Importance in Today’s Consumer Culture

Who knew that the sampling of beauty products would create such a stir with the advent of the Internet? This has created a new business model: the beauty box by subscription. Estée Lauder knew that sampling led to purchase, but are there any newer insights to maximize conversions (to purchases) and ways of getting samples into the hands of the right consumer?

The “Sampling Your Way to Sales” panel session at the 2014 Cosmoprof North America event will feature Pinchme, an innovative online free sampling platform started and perfected in Australia, along with GlossyBox, one of the most exclusive international subscription beauty box companies. From the brand side, vbeauté founder Julie Macklowe will share her brand story, which started with travel-sized products. And Murad's executive director of global marketing Andrea Koons will address how sampling keeps this derm brand on the top-seller list. This session will be moderated by Jamie Matusow, editor of Beauty Packaging magazine.

“Sampling Your Way to Sales” session will be held at Cosmoprof North America on Sunday, July 13, 2014 from 1 pm to 2:30 pm. And below, find additional information on the panelists:

  • Elian Pres-Gurwits, CEO, GlossyBox North America—Pres-Gurwits’s journey with GlossyBox began in 2010 when he joined Rocket Internet as an entrepreneur-in-residence and played an instrumental role in launching the company. In 2012, Pres-Gurwits was appointed to head GlossyBox’s Asian operations, based in Shanghai. Recognized for his achievements in ramping up the overseas business, founder and global CEO Charles von Abercron relocated him to New York in 2013 to oversee the company’s U.S. launch. Under his leadership, GlossyBox has signed on prestigious beauty brands like La Prairie, Estée Lauder and Bulgari, and collaborated with luxury retailers like Net-A-Porter and Bergdorf Goodman.
  • Andrea Koons, executive director of global marketing, Murad—Koons is a beauty industry executive with over 20 years of experience in prestige fragrance, color and skin care. In her current role as Murad’s executive director, global marketing, Koons manages Murad’s global skincare portfolio, including promotional efforts and sampling in a variety of innovative ways.
  • Julie Macklowe, founder, president and CEO, vbeauté—An “it girl” in more ways than one, Macklowe created vbeauté after her toiletries were confiscated during a trip to France and then her face broke out from new products she purchased. As a result of this experience, she strived to bring the best in luxury Swiss-made skin care to women everywhere, available in travel size packaging. Macklowe worked with renowned scientists to create a line for all skin types, including sensitive skin like she has, so the vbeauté line is vegan, gluten free, paraben free, fragrance free, nut free and oat free. Her goal was for vbeauté to be the best quality while making it accessible to women.
  • Jeremy Reid, founder and chairman, Pinchme—Reid is founder and chairman of Pinchme, a digital product sampling platform that allows members to sample products in exchange for their feedback, giving consumer brands the opportunity to increase sales by delivering mass awareness, targeted trials and valuable insights. Reid has 14 years’ experience in dealing directly with consumers. Prior to founding Pinchme, he was the founder and CEO of one of the largest alternative investment firms in Australia.

Cosmoprof North America will take place July 13–15, 2014 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

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