Amazon launched its latest B2B entry in eCommerce on Monday (June 24) with the Amazon Professional Beauty Store, a shopping hub for professional stylists, barbers and estheticians. The store will carry products from brands including Wella Color Charm, RUSK and OPI Professional, as well as other spa and salon supplies.
“We are pleased to offer those in the professional beauty industry even more selection through the convenient shopping experience our customers love on Amazon Business,” said Steve Kann, Amazon Business’ director of customer-driven experience, on its business blog. “Stylists can find more of what they need at great prices with convenient delivery options, freeing up their time to focus on what’s important: their customers.”
Amazon hopes the shop will streamline the shopping experience for beauty professionals, since many now end up shopping at a variety of cosmetology stores to find the full range of goods necessary to satisfy their customers. Moreover, because major brands tend to own their own stores, finding competing products with straight-line price comparisons can be challenging. Amazon Business believes it can address these issues with its large number of selling partners and its ability to quickly get the goods to their businesses.
The store requires users to have a cosmetology license or a barber’s/esthetician license. Once the license is verified, a stylist can create a free Amazon Business account and gain access.
The store has already had an effect on the industry, as both Ulta and Sally Beauty saw their stock prices take a hit as the news was announced. The drop was more bad news for Sally; the firm’s stock has already tumbled 20 percent in 2019 as weak earnings reports have disappointed investors. Ulta, however, has been having a great year, with its shares rising nearly 40 percent. Sally Beauty’s stock plunged 12 percent on the news, while Ulta’s fell 3 percent, CNBC reported.
