Retail Report: The Cube
The display cube housing the SkinCeuticals line is an aesthetic step up from other types of units typically displayed in doctors' offices. thrill in cigar tubes and chocolate boxes. How SkinCeuticals solved its retail dilemma.
By Marie Redding, Senior Editor
SkinCeuticals Inc. (Garland, TX), a pioneer in the field of vitamin C technology, manufactures and sells its own line of advanced skincare products mainly through a primary distribution channel that includes professional skincare spas and doctors' offices. When the entire SkinCeuticals line was relaunched in new packaging last January, the company needed a way to further reinforce its new brand image and convey its new look at the point of sale.
The problem was that the line was treated as prescription products in most doctors' offices and was therefore hidden and stored behind the counter. "Since offices have limited space, we knew we needed a display case that could fit on a small counter," says Eric Cowles, president of SkinCeuticals. "We chose a simple acrylic plexiglass square case with clean lines. It reflects our branding and also meets the challenges of fitting in a tight space."
The company already had an idea in mind from generic examples but worked with several vendors to come up with its own concept and specific dimensions. The display case's three sides and top are clear, while the back is frosted. The bottom was painted to match the color of the brand.
The display cube started shipping last June and was on back order by July. "Most of the staff in the doctors' offices needed to be educated first in how to properly merchandise the products, but once we explained the benefits, they all quickly embraced the idea," says Cowles. Meanwhile, the spas were much more familiar with merchandising techniques and immediately grasped SkinCeuticals' idea. "They began ordering several [display cubes] for every room," says Cowles.
Now, the company is getting more requests, especially from spas, to supply tester units and entire cabinets. Cowles says, "For now, this cube has served a universal need for a broad range of our accounts." It has conveyed the brand's message to everyone, and that's all the company hoped to accomplish in the area of displays for the time being.