Annual Report 2009/10 Excellence in Retailing - Douglas Holding

showpiece: “Hilfiger Woman” – available only at Douglas
– instantly captured customers’ hearts and senses.
In addition to expanding its exclusive and own
brands, Douglas remains a first-class showcase for all the
premium global brands from the bodycare, fragrance,
cosmetics, boutiques and accessories segments. The
organic cosmetics concept “Naturally Beautifully” has
also been well received, with Douglas cosmeticians offering
certified natural, organic and botanical cosmetics
and expert advice in selected stores. Other features
such as the “Douglas Hairdesign” salons, beauty cubicles
and nail spas add the finishing touches to the perfumeries’
services.
The “virtual perfumery” at www.douglas.de continued
to prosper during the 2009/10 financial year. With a
million registered customers and sales up by a good 30
percent to EUR over 50 million, the online shop is now
the biggest Douglas “branch” – and easily Germany’s
largest online vendor of beauty products. This success
has been powered by comprehensive ranges, an exceptionally
user-friendly portal, and a fast and dependable
delivery service, with added extras like competitions,
newsletters and online TV adding the spice. As part of
the international rollout, France, Poland and Switzerland
followed the Netherlands and Austria by opening online
shops during the 2009/10 financial year.
The Douglas Card was a key factor in the marketing
mix, as it has been for the past 15 years. With 2.4 million
Cards issued in Germany alone and some eight million
abroad, over 10 million customers now enjoy the benefits
of this “ticket to the world of beauty.” And as the progressive
rise in Card sales demonstrates, this payment facility
is still very popular among customers.
In logistics, the optimization of processes produced
significant cuts in transport costs and new environmental
benefits: an excellent example of synchronizing economic
and ecological goals. The construction of the new
central warehouse in Zossen outside Berlin reflects the
strong growth of the exclusive and own brands Douglas
carries.
Among its charitable activities, Douglas has now
been the lead sponsor of DKMS LIFE for several years;
the organization provides support to women undergoing
treatment for cancer. During 2010 alone, specially
trained Douglas employees ran upwards of 200
cosmetics seminars free of charge in clinics and therapy
Did you know ...
that the Douglas Cards issued
to date would extend more than
400 miles if laid out end to end?
Divisions
Douglas · Perfumeries
centers. In these seminars,
the patients learn
how to retain an attractive
appearance despite their illness,
hopefully boosting their confidence
and helping them to enjoy life more. During
2010 the Douglas teams also collected over EUR 160,000
in stores to finance the valuable work performed by
DKMS LIFE.
Douglas will be focusing on two strategic challenges
during the 2010/11 financial year: generating valueoriented
growth in the fixed-location network on the
one hand and expanding its online services on the other.
“Multi-channel retailing” is the name of the game: by
forging a professional and intelligent interface between
the twin sales channels – fixed-location perfumeries and
the online shop – Douglas can secure the loyalty of customers
in every age and target group. One example: if a
product is out of stock at a perfumery, the customer can
order it from the online shop at a terminal – and have it
conveniently delivered to his or her home.
The first Douglas multi-channel perfumery, opened
in Mainz during October 2010, demonstrates how this
integration process works. This store with its futuristic
design features state-of-the-art information and communication
technology in addition to the traditionally comprehensive
range of products. Using the store’s numerous
computer terminals and touchscreens, customers
can perform skin analyses, have their make-up designed
by a “virtual visagiste,” post photos on Facebook after
a make-up session, or choose a perfume that enhances
their natural aura. Touchscreens in the window displays
update passersby on the most popular fragrances. The
mix of modern store design, youthful brands and varied
promotions make this “beauty terminal” especially appealing
to young customers.
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