By Aimee Chanthadavong
Benefit Cosmetics is bringing its beauty solutions and brow services to Sydney’s domestic and international airport.
A Benefit Boutique has already opened in domestic Terminal 2 with another to due to land in the international departures Terminal 1 in September.
Speaking to RetailBiz, Justin Fullerton, Benefit Cosmetics general manager of Australia, said based on customer demand the decision to open at Sydney airport was long overdue.
“Benefit appeals to women of all ages and a lot of our customers travel domestically and overseas. So with our existing strength in the domestic market we thought it was time to have a presence in those airport locations,” he said.
There are also plans to roll-out the in other major Australian airports, including Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, in both the domestic and international terminals.
“It’s an exciting proposition and we’re excited to take the roll out around the country,” Fullerton said.
“Terminal 2 is an exciting trial and we’re all keen to see if it’s something that will be a success. It’ll make the domestic airport more of a destination as it’ll be open to not just travellers but their family and friends. It also gives people more things to do while they’re do rather than just have coffee and food or visit a fashion retailer, which is what it has been in the past.”
The Sydney opening follows the company’s success in New Zealand’s Auckland domestic and international airport, which opened in May and “exceeded all of our forecasts”.
It also forms part of Benefit’s global brand decision to enter the travel retail channel, which has seen openings in other airports around the world like London, New York and Singapore.
“Globally the Benefit brand is starting to enter into the travel retail channel and we are increasing our number in airports around the world,” Fullerton said.
“But Sydney by far is the largest international airport in the Oceania region and it’s also about when the right opportunity presents itself. I only wanted to see the brand open in the right space and location so the brand is presented to customers at the standard of the Benefit Boutique.”
However, the main driver for the company’s success in Australia so far has been thanks to Benefit’s relationship with department store giant Myer. Fullerton said the companys continues to see “strong growth overall” with plans to roll out its brow bar service at every distribution point in Myer by February next year.