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The field of cosmetics merchandising is rapidly diversifying, and retail giants such as Barnes & Noble are on the forefront of this trend. In May, Barnes & Noble College - a division of Barnes & Noble - announced it would be launching The Glossary, a beauty concept store setting up shop in campus bookstores throughout the U.S. So far, the venture is paying big dividends, which has others in the cosmetics industry following the retailer's lead. When cosmetic merchandising meets literatureBarnes & Noble decided to open the stores to expand the types of products it offers its consumers, and to become less reliant on book sales, USA Today reported. The bookstore chain's strategy can provide a lesson to other executives looking to grow their customer pool: Retailers that find a way to integrate cosmetic sales into their business might be able to cash in on a consumer base that has steadily increased even in uncertain economic times. The sale of prestige beauty items increased by 7.3 percent from 2015 to reach $16 billion, USA Today explained. The Glossary presents college students a wide array of beauty products from upscale brands such as Smashbox and Lipstick Queen to mainstream cosmetic companies such as CoverGirl and Maybelline New York, according to Allure magazine. "Cosmetics is paying big dividends, which has others in the industry paying attention." "Who would have ever thought about buying beauty products at a bookstore?" Diana Smith, a senior research analyst for the market research firm Mintzel, told Racked. "But it makes sense. It adds convenience and makes popular brand names easily accessible to receptive audiences." Barnes & Noble executives chose to pilot this venture on college campuses after in-depth demographic research of the cosmetic industry and its consumers, Racked reported. More than 6 in 10 adults aged 18 to 24 bought eight or more beauty products in the past year, according to Smith, who also noted that a convenient location and affordable prices are two key factors that determine where these young shoppers spend their money. More stores want a piece of the cosmetics pieDepartment stores, which are more traditionally known for selling beauty products, are also looking to expand their offerings to get in on the booming cosmetics merchandising industry. J.C. Penney, Target, Kohl's and Macy's are looking to grow their presence in the beauty industry, USA Today reported. Macy's purchased skin care and makeup retailer Bluemercury this past year, and by the end of the fourth quarter, the department store chain will have 22 versions of the shop within its stores, in addition to 24 stand-alone stores, USA Today announced. "I really do believe makeup now is more popular than ever," Sana Cordeaux, director of strategy and operations for the beauty app Veluxe, told the newspaper. Right now, The Glossary is in Barnes & Noble bookstores on campuses at Emory University, Southern Methodist University, Tulane University, the College of William & Mary and the University of California-Riverside, Businesswire reported. Barnes & Noble will likely open more of these stores in the coming months due to the success of these first five, USA Today noted.
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