Kohl's Corp. and beauty brand Sephora announced a long-term partnership that will see the beauty giant open hundreds of in-store shops inside Kohl’s department stores. Some 200 shops will open by next fall and expand into at least 850 Kohl’s stores by 2023, reports the publication Chain Store Age.
The Sephora at Kohl’s shops will average 2,500 sq. ft. and be prominently positioned at the front of the store. The shops will offer about 100 brands and replace Kohl’s current beauty assortment. They will staffed by Sephora-trained beauty advisors. Some of the shops will have their own entrance.
As part of the agreement, Kohl’s will convert the beauty selection on its website to showcase an expanded assortment of Sephora’s prestige products. Sephora will be Kohl’s exclusive beauty partner online as of fall 2021.
Kohl’s, which has more than 1,150 stores nationwide, said that the locations of the Sephora shops will be determined based on existing Sephora store proximity, market opportunity and customer insights, reports CSA.
According to Kohl's, the in-store Sephora shops will offer customers the “signature Sephora experience, with a unique range of makeup, skincare, hair, and fragrance brands. Sephora’s high-touch customer engagement will prominently feature testing and discovery zones that serve up a rotating assortment of new, emerging or trending products.”
The agreement comes as Kohl’s has announced a series of moves to accelerate its business. The retailer said the in-store Sephora shops will attract new and younger customers to Kohl’s. At the same time, the partnership will give Sephora the opportunity to grow its customer base and provide a convenient, off-mall suburban shopping option.
Sephora, a division of global retail powerhouse LVMH, operates 2,600 stores worldwide, with 500 locations in North America.