Bluemercury. Thoughts?

[MFfan310]

Not too many people here on Basenotes have talked about Bluemercury.

But they've been quietly growing for the past three years, and the forthcoming growth of this Macy's-owned beauty retailer might be the next big thing the beauty world talks about this. Apparently, the Macy's in my neck of the woods is about to close their Origins counter and put in Bluemercury, which is widely considered to be Macy's answer to Sephora. Ironically, this mall only has a Sephora inside JCPenney. But it's a very high-profit store for Macy's, and Macy's likes applying new ideas to high-profit stores first. For example, this particular Macy's was one of the first in the lower Midwest outside of Chicagoland to have Lush and Bare Escentuals counters.

At the same time, not all "Sephora-killer" concepts work. While Ulta became the Pepsi to Sephora's Coke, CVS Health couldn't make Beauty 360 work and is now reusing the name for their private-label products sold at their ever-popular pharmacies. But Macy's has been in the beauty business for over a century, has the powerful vendor relations needed to pull off such a move, and can easily carve out spaces inside existing real estate as they have with their Luxxotica and Finish Line partnerships. Having acquired the company in 2014 and boosted it to about 60 stores today, Macy's plans to open another 50 Bluemercury stores this year (both inside and outside of Macy's stores). By year end, about 10% of Macy's stores that survive their current and forthcoming store closings of about 100 stores will have Bluemercury stores. Of course, not all Macy's stores are an ideal fit for Bluemercury.

Much like Sephora, Bluemercury carries skincare, cosmetics, and fragrances. Some locations even have spas. But the fragrance part has gotten me particularly excited. Unlike the usual tactic of carrying a bunch of fragrance brands, Bluemercury only carries several. This location will have Creed, Jo Malone, Tom Ford (and yes, this will include the Private Blends), Nest, and Acqua di Parma fragrances - a small number of brands, but all some of the top brands in mainstream niche. And in cosmetics and skincare, the brand list reads like Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom, not Macy's - the perfect way to keep people spending both their fashion and beauty dollars at Macy's. With the national footprint of Macy's, this could be a gateway for brands to be in markets that aren't quite big enough for a Nordstrom. With the exception of Nest (where Von Maur sells some of the body products), Bluemercury will be the first authorized retailer in my market for every fragrance brand that I just mentioned.

In other words, Macy's is very serious about competing with Sephora. Will it succeed? Stay tuned, but the sign of expansion this soon after acquisition sounds like a "yes" to me.

 

[cacio]

Bluemercury seems well established here in DC. So far, I think the market segment it seems to inhabit is above Sephora-it's somewhere inbetween Sephora and the high end dept stores like Neimans or Saks.

Unfortunately, perfumewise, Bluemercury has gotten worse. A few years back, it carried Lutens and Artisan Parfumeur in addition to said brands. Now it doesn't, Diptyque and Acqua di Parma are good, but can be found elsewhere as well.

As usual, I think they're putting all the attention in makeup and skincare, which must bring in more money, with perfume an afterthought.

cacio

 

[sjg3839]

Seems like a good idea if they can they can obtain good brands.

 

[hednic]

Have made a few trips to Bluemercury in DC. Picked up a few Diptyques over the years. Otherwise, had nothing of interest to me.

 

[DustB]

Bluemercury seems well established here in DC. So far, I think the market segment it seems to inhabit is above Sephora-it's somewhere inbetween Sephora and the high end dept stores like Neimans or Saks.

Unfortunately, perfumewise, Bluemercury has gotten worse. A few years back, it carried Lutens and Artisan Parfumeur in addition to said brands. Now it doesn't, Diptyque and Acqua di Parma are good, but can be found elsewhere as well.

As usual, I think they're putting all the attention in makeup and skincare, which must bring in more money, with perfume an afterthought.

cacio

I've shopped at the DC Bluemercury shops also and my experience is the same as Cacio's. It's sad that they no longer have the range and lines of niche houses they used to. When I was last in I think they had four, maybe it was five, Diptyque marques. Nothing like what they used to have. And they no longer have L'Artisan. I imagine this selection would get worse the more the company grows its number of locations.

 

[MFfan310]

A few years back, it carried Lutens and Artisan Parfumeur in addition to said brands. Now it doesn't, Diptyque and Acqua di Parma are good, but can be found elsewhere as well.

And they no longer have L'Artisan. I imagine this selection would get worse the more the company grows its number of locations.

One does have to keep in mind that L'Artisan changed owners and distribution several years ago. A lot of stores in the US, chain and independent, dropped them then.

 

[DustB]

I hear you MFfan. My point is the store isn't as good as it used to be. My examples and Cacio's are good ones about why.

 

[Kotori]

They have some good offerings, but generally only a few things from each brand.
I ordered from them recently and the prices were competitive but the shipping speed was not.

 

[cacio]

Good point about l'artisan, and it is also true that now a few l'artisan are carried by sephora as well. I guess the general idea is that if they expand they are going to bring good selections where these did not exist. But in the few good locations the chain had, the selection has been streamlined.
the makeup and cosmetic choices are quite good though, and I've bought several gifts for my sister there, as well as diptyque candles. my latest perfume purchase there though was indeed a l'artisan.

cacio