Shoppers speak out - Category Closeup: Color Cosmetics: Covering the Drug and Discount Chain Market

Discount Store News, Nov 4, 1996

An informal survey of women who shop both drug and mass merchandise stores for a variety of products revealed that the women chose their store destination on the basis of convenience or price, and that no one in this small sample felt that either drug stores or discount stores do a good job with cosmetics or fragrances.

All eight of the shoppers, interviewed at random and queried about their shopping preferences, said they buy cosmetics in mass stores to replenish brands they already use, not to sample new items.

Most also said that mass stores could do a better job with beauty care by offering a wider selection and more service.

Here is a sample of their comments:

Diane D. shops discount stores for specific items, such as "film, drugs, dog food, fans, automotive and small kitchen things," She shops drug stores for allergy medication, prescription drugs, toothpaste, mouthwash and deodorant.

When it comes to cosmetics and fragrances, Diane said she never buys any in discount stores, and generally only buys mascara in drug stores.

Diane said: "For the amount of money I'm going to spend, I want a good product. I buy what I'm going to use in a department store, and some of the products I use, I can only get in a department store."

Diane will buy mascara in drug stores, especially when it's on sale, but she said women can buy mascara anywhere, and they know by the brand whether it's a good product. "The price you pay doesn't determine whether the mascara is good or not," she said. "It's the brand that matters."

When it comes to changing the cosmetics departments in either mass merchandise or drug stores, Diane would like to see both trade classes provide more service.

"A counter with someone behind it would be nice [in a discount store]," she said. "So would having someone there to do make overs.

"In drug stores, I'd like to be able to find someone who could answer my questions. I'm never sure what is right for my coloring when I change my hair color."

Cynthia M. goes to both discount and drug stores to browse, and to buy some of the products advertised in its circulars.

In discount stores, she tends to buy household supplies, snack food, school supplies, craft items and toiletries. Cynthia sometimes shops a drug store, but not as often as a discount store, and she feels that neither store has a big enough selection of cosmetics.

She tends to buy lipsticks, eye shadows, eye liners and face powders in a discount store because she can find "well-known brands at economical prices."

She said she prefers to buy cosmetics and fragrances in department stores because they have more of a selection, but she settles for a discount store because it's convenient and has low prices.

Cynthia H. goes to discount stores to buy housewares, paper products and toys, and to a drug store for toiletries and medicine.

As a Mary Kay user, she seldom buys cosmetics or fragrances in drug or mass merchandise stores. She said the cosmetics departments in both drug and discount store are "fine, well stocked."

Barbara H. buys cards, pantyhose, disposable razors, diapers and Oil of Olay in drug stores, and buys linens and curtains in discount department stores. She gets her cosmetics and fragrances from a department store or a catalog. She said that the cosmetics and fragrances departments in most retail stores are too big with too much selection, and the fragrances, at times, are "overwhelming."

Phyliss C. occasionally shops drug stores and discount department stores whenever they are "convenient for a particular item I need at that moment."

She seldom goes into the cosmetics department in any of these stores. "They do not carry the items that I prefer, and the personnel are not knowledgeable or trained to help you make cosmetics purchases."

In drug stores, she primarily buys prescription items. She finds the cosmetics departments in drug and discount stores "not terribly attractive or appealing."

Margaret G. shops one discount store for toys and health and beauty aids; another discount store for toys, cleaning supplies and health and beauty aids, and a drug store for food, seasonal items and prescriptions. She rarely goes into the cosmetics departments of any of these chains, but when she does, it's to buy lipsticks or face powders, usually in a drug store, primarily because the stores are nearby.

Frieda P. shops both drug stores and deep discounters, choosing her store destination for convenience and better prices.

She buys clothes, shoes and household products in the deep discount stores, but she will buy cosmetics in a drug store because "It's in driving range."

Ann M. likes to browse in both deep discounters and drug stores. She tends to buy sale items in a discount store and cigarettes in drug stores. She said she buys new items in cosmetics and fragrances at least sometimes while she is browsing, and that she might buy more if there was someone in the stores to answer her questions.

Asked how she might change mass cosmetics and fragrances departments to make them more appealing to her, she said it might help to have "a specific person that I could talk to or who could show me how to use certain cosmetics."