New research from Mintel details the role of mobile devices in U.S. beauty retailing. According to the report, consumers are increasingly turning to technology during their shopping experiences—and nearly half (45%) of beauty shoppers would rather search for product information while in-store, on their mobile device, rather than ask for assistance from a sales associate. In addition, two in five (39%) consumers are interested in using, or have used, a store-provided tablet to research beauty products available.
 
This demand for digital comes as 16% of consumers decide to shop where sales associates will leave them alone until sought out for help. Many consumers are quickly becoming dependent on digital assistance in nearly all aspects of the beauty retailing experience, with more than one third (36%) agreeing that they would be interested in using in-store tablets or their own mobile device to pay for beauty products. The Mintel research also reveals that smartphones are the preferred device used to purchase cosmetics (22%), the only category surveyed in which consumers were most likely to shop via smartphone.
 
Consumers are turning to technology as a cost-savings measure as well, with three in five (58%) interested in mobile apps that provide beauty product offers to redeem in-store. Coupon redemption is popular among beauty retail shoppers as nearly half (47%) have redeemed coupons using their smartphone or tablet when purchasing products in-store or online. Further, 54%vof beauty retail shoppers are interested in apps that allow them to compare prices.
 
“Smartphones and tablets are playing an increasingly pivotal role in the beauty retail experience. Brands should assume that their audience has a connected device at their fingertips at all times and should look to leverage behavioral research in order to better understand when and how consumers are using these devices,” said Diana Smith, senior research analyst, Retail & Apparel at Mintel. “The beauty category is ripe for an explosion of technology-driven innovation—it’s a fun category where personalization, individualism and experimentation meet and flourish. A great example of this is connected stores which allow consumers to shop how they choose while giving them unique ways to try out products on their own before buying, regardless of a salesperson’s availability.”
 
The beauty market’s heaviest buyers, those who made 11 or more purchases in the 12 months ending October 2015, are the most likely to engage on social media with seven in 10 (69%) saying they like to share their product experience on retailers’ social media channels, double that of consumers overall (35%). What’s more, 71% say social media posts encourage them to buy particular products.
 
Mintel research reveals that the majority of beauty retail purchases are, in fact, planned with three in five (63%) consumers buying items to replace/replenish products they regularly use. Planned experimentation with new beauty products is not uncommon as 30% of consumers venture out with the intent of trying something new. However, spontaneity is also popular among beauty retail shoppers: half (52%) are influenced to make a purchase that is most likely unplanned, with one in five (22%) influenced by a sale or the opportunity to use a coupon. Another 14% of beauty retail shoppers report unplanned purchases resulting from advertisements.

See infographic on the U.S beauty consumer’s planned and unplanned purchases. 
 
Read more on the trend toward mobile shopping.