Superdrug Becomes First UK High Street Health and Beauty Retailer To Launch Online Marketplace For Premium and Emerging Brands
The Mirakl-Powered Marketplace will enable hundreds of new brands join the Superdrug stable, from luxury beauty giants to kitchen-table creations
Superdrug hopes launch will remove listing barriers for innovators in the market, and promote diversity within the industry
Calls for innovative brands to get in touch to be at the forefront of the Marketplace launch
29 March, 2022 - Superdrug has today announced the upcoming launch of Superdrug Marketplace, a new platform, which will see hundreds of brands, from premium to start-ups, able to partner with Superdrug to offer their products through the service for the first time. The platform is set to launch in September this year, with brands being recruited now to lead the Marketplace launch later this year.
The platform, which is powered by Mirakl, leading provider of marketplace solutions, will be seamlessly integrated on the existing Superdrug.com, providing customers with a smooth journey for purchasing products from both established brands and exciting new sellers.
SAP, a trusted strategic technology partner for AS Watson, positioned Mirakl as part of the overall digital transformation strategy for Superdrug. SAP & Mirakl supported Superdrug in the design of the business case to transform to the marketplace model, as well as the design and implementation of the actual Superdrug Marketplace platform. With the SAP Commerce Marketplace Management application by Mirakl, Superdrug can offer the products and services they want, while maintaining high quality to limit risks and drive growth.
The retailer hopes that their best in market marketplace technical solution will allow brands without the infrastructure for a national retail listing to partner with Superdrug for the first time and bring its customers trending beauty favourites faster than ever before.
As well as beauty brands, the retailer also has its eye on the biggest wellness trends, with everything from wearables to health testing being considered as the move makes way for more trend-led brands to secure a listing.
With the strategy homing in on bringing luxury brands to the forefront, Superdrug will also focus on brands which align with its customers’ key values, with a particular focus on black-owned brands, building on the brand’s Shades of You commitment to diversity in retail in 2021. Female-owned brands, and a focus on gender-neutral beauty products will also be prioritised.
As well as announcing the launch, Superdrug is also calling for forward-thinking brands who may have previously dismissed the possibility of a listing to get in touch to discuss featuring on Marketplace as soon as possible. Brands looking to join the marketplace can do so by contacting marketplace@uk.aswatson.com.
Customer, Marketing and Online Director Matt Walburn, who is leading the development of Marketplace at Superdrug commented “The Superdrug marketplace will be a vital step for our business as we look to strengthen further our role in H&B retail and start to build into new associated categories. We’ve been looking at ways to bring innovative and growing brands into our business more quickly and in the appropriate way to test consumer reaction. This is a crucial next step in bolstering our online and offline strategy; marketplace inventory will eventually be available to purchase virtually instore as well as online. This launch will make a listing with Superdrug now possible for more up and coming brands and give our customers a wider range to enjoy, from luxury to trending beauty and wellness hacks.”
The platform is being built as part of a partnership with Mirakl, the industry’s first and most advanced enterprise marketplace SaaS platform, which counts Debenhams, Decathlon, Joules, Secret Sales, and Urban Outfitters among its clients. KPS Digital will be responsible for the project delivery - streamlining the customer experience to ensure that the quality of the digital platform remains the same as Superdrug’s core ecommerce site.
Brands will be expected to meet the same high levels of customer experience that Superdrug shoppers are used to, with orders fulfilled through independent brands, salons and third-party retailers.
The move signals the next development in Superdrug’s omnichannel retail strategy, which recently saw the launch of the ‘endless aisle’, allowing customers to order products in store that were currently out of stock. Superdrug Marketplace’s launch will also allow shoppers to walk into their local store and buy products from marketplace brands never seen before on Superdrug shelves.
Notes to editor:
Superdrug offers the best in trending beauty brands, everyday personal care and essential health products. With over 830 stores across the UK and Ireland, Superdrug brings the best in accessible beauty and health to the high street and online.
Superdrug shoppers can locate their nearest store by visiting the store finder on superdrug.com.
For further information please contact the Superdrug press office at Mind+Matter on 01273 712000 or email superdrug-mindplusmatter@ashfieldhealth.com.
About A.S. Watson Group:
Established in Hong Kong in 1841, A.S. Watson Group is the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer operating over 16,100 stores under 12 retail brands in 27 markets, with over 140,000 employees worldwide. For the fiscal year 2020, A.S. Watson Group recorded revenue of US$20.6 billion. Every year, we are serving over 5.9 billion shoppers via our O+O (Offline plus Online) platforms, providing tech-enabled retail experience to customers offline and online.
A.S. Watson Group is also a member of the world-renowned multinational conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, which has four core businesses ‐ ports and related services, retail, infrastructure and telecommunications in over 50 countries.
Please visit www.aswatson.com for more information.
About Mirakl:
Mirakl offers the industry’s first and most advanced enterprise marketplace SaaS platform. With Mirakl, organizations across B2B and B2C industries can launch marketplaces faster, grow bigger, and operate with confidence as they exceed rising customer expectations. Platforms are the new competitive advantage in eCommerce, and the world’s most trusted brands choose Mirakl for its comprehensive solution of technology, expertise, and the Mirakl Connect ecosystem to unlock the power of the platform business model for them.
As a result, companies like ABB, Astore by AccorHotels, Best Buy Canada, Carrefour, Catch, Changi Airport, Darty, The Kroger Co., Leroy Merlin, Maisons du Monde, Metro, and Toyota Material Handling gain the speed, scale, and agility to win in the changing eCommerce landscape. For more information: www.mirakl.com.
About SAP:
SAP’s strategy is to help every business run as a sustainable intelligent enterprise. As a market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 87% of the world’s total global commerce touches an SAP® system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers’ businesses into sustainable intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want – without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve people’s lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com.
About KPS:
KPS integrates eCommerce, Digital Marketing Automation, CRM, Customer Services, Customer Data, Analytics, Marketplaces and Loyalty, to deliver connected customer experiences for household names in retail, B2B and D2C and has been awarded SAP CX Partner of the Year.
With over two decades of creating digital solutions that span all customer touchpoints and enabling businesses to deliver exceptional customer experiences, KPS is a leader in customer experience transformations, implementing best-of-breed, agile technology using rapid methodology that delivers value quickly.
KPS help businesses leapfrog years ahead in their digital maturity, by identifying and prioritising the most valuable opportunities to improve their eCommerce offering and set brands apart from their competitors.