As part of a comprehensive custom program, L’Oreal will be powering the experience for stylists to grow their networks, while StyleSeat claims that stylists are able to grow their revenue by 70 percent during the first 15 months of using the platform. Just in time for the holiday season, the ecommerce program should launch sometime during the fourth quarter.

“Both StyleSeat and L’Oreal’s Professional Products Division share the mission to empower salons and stylists while connecting consumers with the experience and convenience they are looking for,” said Karen Fuss-Zipp, senior vice president of ecommerce strategy and development at L’Oreal USA, New York. “Together StyleSeat, the largest and fastest growing marketplace for beauty and wellness services, combined with L’Oreal Professional Products Divisions, the professional subsidiary of the world’s leading beauty company, offer salons a compelling opportunity to modernize their salon and compete online.

“By focusing on customer needs, both StyleSeat and L’Oreal will benefit from the success and growth of salons and stylists.”

Double the beauty
With an increasing number of retail purchases made via mobile, the two brands saw an opportunity that reached further than beauty appointments, which led to a guided ecommerce plan, and L’Oreal plans to extend its established network to kick off its plans with StyleSeat.

The execution of this new collaboration would allow for more in-depth profile pages for each salon, enabling them to hold more of a presence on the StyleSeat platform. Furthermore, this tool would allow consumers to restock on their favorite products in between appointments.

While StyleSeat has made a seat for itself in the digital world, teaming with L’Oreal could give the brand a more forceful push and firm backing, which could attract more salons and customers.

Inclined through mobile
The two brands have prioritized mobile strategies to reach its audience more effectively.

StyleSeat has recently redesigned its app in light of its success, with 60 percent of users booking appointments via the app.

Featuring larger photos and an easier booking process, users can now make last-minute appointments as well as reference previous bookings and easily re-book. While a single photograph garners 1,000 words, developers of the app believed the use of more images, rather than reviews in text format, would give users better insight into the work of each stylist (see story).

In June, L’Oreal incorporated in-image advertising platform GumGum’s photo recognition technology to target consumers through digital advertisements.

L’Oreal adopted GumGum’s image recognition technology to pick up on the hair colors of consumers in photos to promote its Ombre hair color campaign. L’Oreal attempted this digital marketing strategy to personalize advertisements based on the consumer and her specific hair color (see story).

Given the prevalence of mobile usage, StyleSeat and L’Oreal have a real advantage by utilizing the reflective channels to take its brands to the next level.

“Technology has driven a huge shift in the way that consumers interact, from making reservations to buying products,” Ms. Fuss-Zipp said. “This collaboration came about from the need to keep salons in the center, to speak to their consumers directly online, where they are every day.

“Ecommerce is the fastest growing channel in beauty and as an industry, we need to match their experiences in-salon to online to effectively compete and ensure success in the years to come.”

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York