Three Steps to Success – How US Beauty Brands Can Conquer Europe

All those countries, some in the European Union (EU), some not! All those different languages and cultural nuances! All those different retailers, product regulations and tax laws! Compared to the familiarity of the US market, it can feel like a minefield.

But with the guidance of experts on the ground in Europe, you can pick your way through the complexity to establish a firm and fruitful foothold in this lucrative market. We recommend breaking it down into three steps.

Step 1: Launch into the UK retail market

The UK may not be a member of the EU any more but it is still an ideal gateway for the EU and Europe as a whole, so it’s a good place to begin your advance across the pond. It also leads the way for e-commerce in Europe, so success here can be an excellent springboard into the wider European pool.

Launching into UK retail stores first is a proven tactic we’ve seen work for many US beauty brands. This approach can help you test the waters and predict sales performance before moving to e-commerce platforms.

From department stores like Selfridges and John Lewis, to beauty boutiques like Space NK, Liberty and Fortnum & Mason, and high street favourites such as Superdrug, M&S  and Boots, the UK offers a variety of retail options for you to showcase your products. Tap into local knowledge to access the right retail option for your brand, as well as the key differences between the US and UK beauty markets, such as regulations on cosmetics and the British audience persona.

Build brand awareness in advance through PR agencies that know the UK beauty influencer landscape inside out, and partner with a UK fulfilment and logistics firm like ILG, which specialises in fulfilment for beauty and wellness brands. We have 10 high-spec fulfilment centres across the UK, as well as two more in the EU,  designed for sustainability and staffed by experts in beauty fulfilment.

Step 2: Move into the UK e-commerce market

With your brand established in the UK retail market, you now have the foundations to expand into the UK e-commerce market. A quarter of all retail sales taking place in the UK are online, making it Europe’s biggest e-commerce region and the perfect entry point to the huge European e-commerce marketplace.

In October 2022, ILG were delighted to partner with Jones Road Beauty to handle their UK e-commerce fulfilment. Prior to this, UK orders fulfilled from the US had been prone to slow delivery and high shipping costs. Jones Road needed a UK-based beauty fulfilment specialist with the right mix of e-commerce and retail fulfilment expertise, and a flexible partner with the bandwidth to quickly upscale in step with its anticipated rise in UK sales.

ILG’s UK locations, highly trained staff and nimble technology provided a streamlined and much improved purchase experience for UK online shoppers. And as UK e-commerce sales climbed, ILG took on an omnichannel fulfilment role by managing and supplying retail orders to Liberty London, Jones Road’s exclusive UK retail partner.

Step 3: Expand into Europe

Having established your brand in the UK retail and e-commerce marketplaces, you will then be in a strong position to confidently and seamlessly step across the English Channel into the EU market.

US skincare brand MALIN+GOETZ has enjoyed success in Europe since partnering with ILG. First we supported their launch in London with storage, wholesale, e-commerce and luxury packaging services, then we helped them to expand into Europe, providing omnichannel fulfilment via one of our state-of-the-art fulfilment centres in Poland.

While many UK companies are still struggling with EU fulfilment due to the fall-out from Brexit (e.g. cross-border delays, higher shipping costs), ILG has been able to offer our own facilities in Wroclaw, Poland, a short distance from the German border and a strategically ideal location for deliveries all over Europe.

By relocating some of their stock to one of our fulfilment centres in Poland, US beauty brands can free up their EU fulfilment, ease their admin and cut duty payments, while benefitting from our award-winning English-speaking customer service team and our deep understanding of the unique requirements of the beauty industry.

MALIN+GOETZ recognised the many advantages of using a single omnichannel fulfilment provider to fulfil its products in the UK and the EU, simplifying its logistics, expanding its reach and maintaining a consistent level of customer service.

Europe is calling

While the European market can look dauntingly complicated for US beauty brands, those commonly cited problems mentioned above can be readily overcome with the guidance of experienced support on the ground.

The multinational, multicultural nature of Europe is something ILG has been dealing with for 30 years, as is the multi-tiered structure of the retail market. We have helped numerous brands, including Malin + Goetz, to launch into the UK market and to navigate the post-Brexit waters of EU logistics.

Our warehouses in the UK and mainland Europe are designed for the specific storage requirements of beauty products and our trusted partners can advise clients about all the applicable ingredient regulations and taxes from country to country.

For US beauty brands that take these steps into Europe, the sky is the limit. There is a vast and growing market, eager to access the best the US has to offer, and with ILG by your side, you can rely on expert guidance every step of the way.

Find out more about our UK and EU fulfilment for US beauty brands. Speak to our experts today!