How Fenwick & Selected’s Omnichannel Play Changes the Way You Buy Beauty

Feeling overwhelmed by endless beauty choices online and empty in-store shelves? Here's a fix.

Shoppers today want the tactile reassurance of a store and the speed and personalization of digital — without the friction. That expectation is the pain point Fenwick and Selected set out to solve in late 2025 with a strengthened partnership and a visible omnichannel activation that blends online convenience with in-store theatre. For beauty brands, the implications are clear: employ the same playbook — virtual try-on, click and collect, synced inventory and data-forward experiences — to lift conversion, reduce returns and build loyalty in 2026.

The evolution of omnichannel in 2026: why fashion moves first, beauty must follow

Fashion retailers like Fenwick and its partner Selected have been experimenting with integrated experiences that mirror how customers actually shop: browsing on mobile, checking availability, reserving for same-day pick-up and testing in-store with digitally informed staff. By late 2025, retailers accelerated such activations to recover footfall, increase basket sizes and create compelling brand moments — a trend that carried into early 2026 as consumers demanded seamless journeys.

Beauty retail shares the same friction points as fashion: color uncertainty, shade matching errors, short-lived physical trials and high return rates for online purchases. Yet beauty adds unique opportunities — sensory testing, trial-and-repeat purchases, and high-margin add-ons (serums, primers, tools). The omnichannel playbook from fashion, when adapted correctly, can change the way consumers discover and buy beauty.

What the Fenwick–Selected activation teaches beauty brands

• Curated capsule selling: Fenwick layered Selected’s capsule collections with ready-to-wear curation in-store and online. In beauty, curated edit pages and micro-shops reduce decision fatigue and increase AOV.
• Unified inventory and real-time availability: Showing stock levels across channels builds trust and reduces wasted trips.
• Phygital theatre: In-store events plus digital previews generate urgency and social content — vital for beauty’s visual storytelling.
• Data-driven personalization: Sharing preference signals across platforms lets staff provide contextual, higher-value recommendations.

How beauty brands can replicate and improve upon that omnichannel activation

Below are concrete strategies, ordered by impact and ease of implementation, that beauty brands — indie labels, DTC scale-ups and heritage houses alike — can adopt in 2026.

1. Click-and-collect as a conversion and loyalty lever

Click and collect evolved from a pandemic-era convenience into a permanent expectation. But in beauty, it’s more than convenience: it’s an opportunity to convert online browsers into in-store testers and repeat buyers.

1. Offer same-day or 2-hour collection windows for urban stores to match modern attention spans.
2. Use the pickup moment to present tailored add-ons — a tester, mini travel kit or an exclusive sample tied to the purchased SKU.
3. Train staff to scan the order and offer a 60-second skin consultation or demo, converting a 1-item pick-up into a multi-product purchase.
4. Measure the uplift: track pickup-to-additional-sales rate, repeat purchase rate and average order value for click-and-collect orders.

2. Virtual try-on that goes beyond playful filters

Virtual try-on (VTO) technology is a must-have in 2026, but the bar has risen. Shoppers expect accuracy, shade mapping and contextual lighting. Fashion’s use of AR to preview fits and outfits offers lessons: combine realism with utility.

• Integrate clinically accurate shade-matching tools — not just fun overlays. Prioritize providers with proven color science (e.g., tech used by major beauty houses and retail partners).
• Offer multi-angle and AR-assisted texture cues: matte vs. dewy finishes look different in motion, so use short motion samples and side-by-side comparisons.
• Make the VTO shoppable: allow saving “looks” to wishlists, send the look via SMS, and enable a 1-click reserve for in-store testing.
• Use VTO analytics to understand shade-drop-offs and optimize SKU assortment by region or store. Creative automation and content templates accelerate the production of shoppable how-to clips (creative automation).

"Consumers now expect digital tools to inform — not replace — real-life trial. The winning brands integrate both." — Retail analysts observing 2025–26 omnichannel activations

3. Phygital appointments and experiential microservices

Fashion stores have long used appointments and personal shopping to deepen engagement. In beauty, the same model — quick skin diagnostics, 15–30 minute makeovers, scent consultations — boosts conversion and helps sell complementary products.

1. Introduce microservices (10–20 minute sessions) that are free with a purchase threshold or a small booking fee redeemable at checkout.
2. Run themed events tied to product drops (seasonal skincare resets, festival glam) leveraging social ambassadors for reach. Pop-up tech and hybrid showroom kits help standardize these activations (pop-up tech).
3. Use appointment data to personalize future marketing — follow-up emails with the exact shades used, product steps, and replenishment reminders.

4. Unified commerce backbone: inventory, POS and CRM

Omnichannel activation fails without a unified commerce stack. Fenwick’s rollouts worked because product availability and promotions were synced across touchpoints. Beauty brands must invest in the same connectivity.

• Centralize inventory so online stock reflects store availability in real time; enable inter-store transfers for pickups.
• Integrate POS with CRM to capture walk-in interactions, skin concerns, and product trial history.
• Adopt headless commerce modules for flexible front-end experiences — quick merchandising changes, localized assortments and A/B testing.
• Automate return-routing so samples and opened items are flagged and handled to prevent inventory mismatches.

5. Rich digital activation: shoppable content, live commerce and social integration

Fashion’s omnichannel activations often include runway clips, influencer try-on edits and live shopping. Beauty should do the same — but with product-first storytelling.

1. Host regular live sessions from stores, connecting product experts with real-time inventory for immediate purchases. Compact vlogging and creator kits are handy for in-store live streams.
2. Create shoppable how-to reels where every step links to the exact SKU with stock-aware CTAs (e.g., "Available for same-day pickup"). Use creative automation templates to scale clip production.
3. Give influencers access to localized inventory feeds so previews align with what followers can actually buy now. Also ensure phones used for live commerce meet streaming and encoding needs (phone guide for live commerce).

Operational playbook: 10 practical steps to launch an omnichannel beauty activation

Below is a tactical checklist you can apply in 8–16 weeks, depending on scale.

1. Audit systems: Map current POS, CRM, inventory, marketing and website gaps.
2. Choose a VTO partner: Start with a pilot of 10–20 SKUs. Test accuracy and color fidelity under different lighting conditions.
3. Enable click-and-collect: Start with core urban stores and progressive rollout by demand clusters.
4. Design microservices: 10–30 minute offerings with clear conversion objectives and replenishment follow-ups.
5. Train staff: Short, scenario-based modules: upsell with consultative language, tech-enabled demos, privacy best practices.
6. Connect analytics: Ensure VTO, POS and web analytics talk to one dashboard for unified KPIs. Automate content pipelines with creative automation.
7. Run localized merchandising: Use VTO and sales data to tune SKU depth per store.
8. Protect privacy: Obtain explicit consent for face-data usage and be transparent about retention and deletion.
9. Measure the right KPIs: pickup conversion, VTO-to-purchase rate, in-store conversion uplift, return reduction and NPS.
10. Iterate: Launch, measure 90 days, optimize visual cues and staffing, scale what moves the needle. Consider testing small refrigeration solutions for temperature-sensitive beauty SKUs (small-capacity refrigeration review) and compact makeup fridges for sampling displays.

Design and staffing: the human side of omnichannel

Technology without human expertise is hollow. Fashion activations succeed because staff are empowered to complete the digital promise in-store. Beauty brands must hire and train with intent.

Role design

• Digital-to-Store Hosts: Staff who manage click-and-collect, troubleshoot VTO bookings and run quick demos. Lightweight creator kits and portable audio tools simplify in-store live commerce (portable audio & creator kits).
• Skin Specialists: Trained to convert diagnostic outputs into prescriptive routines and product bundles. Remote diagnostic techniques are informing in-store consult workflows (remote diagnostics & trichoscopy).
• Community Managers: Bridge live commerce and social content with localized promotions.

Training priorities

• Consultative selling rather than hard upsell.
• Rapid VTO diagnostics and how to reconcile technology outputs with physical testing.
• Privacy literacy and respectful data handling.
• Storytelling for social clips and live sessions.

Measuring success: KPIs that matter in 2026

Avoid vanity metrics. Track the signals that connect digital activation to revenue and retention.

• VTO-to-purchase rate: percent of VTO sessions that result in purchase within 7 days.
• Click-and-collect conversion uplift: incremental spend during pickup visits.
• Return rate reduction: compare cohorts with VTO usage vs. non-users.
• New-to-brand conversion: how many first-time buyers convert to repeat purchasers within 90 days.
• Lifetime value lift: measure LTV for customers acquired via omnichannel activations.

Risks and how to mitigate them

Omnichannel work is not without pitfalls. Be proactive.

• Tech mismatch: Pilot with a limited SKU set before full roll-out to catch color-science issues.
• Staff overload: Start with targeted hours for pickups and demos; scale staffing as uptake grows.
• Inventory distortion: Use reservation holds that expire to avoid phantom stock scenarios.
• Privacy concerns: Give clear opt-outs and anonymize data where possible. Ensure portable power for live commerce streams with tested chargers (best budget powerbanks & chargers).

2026 trends to watch (and how to benefit)

Late 2025 set the stage; early 2026 is about refinement. Here’s what will shape omnichannel beauty this year.

• Hyperlocalization: Consumers expect assortments and promotions tailored to local climate, seasons and cultural moments. Use POS and VTO signals to localize quickly.
• AI-driven replenishment: Predictive models that suggest restocks to customers via subscription nudges will grow. Tie these to in-store touchpoints (e.g., scan to auto-subscribe).
• Sustainability as a differentiator: Offer refill or recycling at click-and-collect points — a proven way to increase footfall among eco-conscious buyers.
• Advanced AR/3D: Expect better texture rendering, multi-spectral lighting and AR tools that integrate with professional cameras and store displays.
• Cross-category bundles: Fashion x beauty collaborations (like Fenwick & Selected’s model) will inspire bundles: think a capsule wardrobe plus a seasonal makeup edit available online and in-store. Technical teams can use headless stacks and JAMstack integrations to enable localized, shoppable experiences (JAMstack integration).

Real-world mini case: how a mid-size beauty brand implemented omnichannel

In early 2026, a mid-size skincare brand piloted a program in five urban stores:

1. Launched VTO for foundation and tinted SPF across 12 SKUs.
2. Enabled 2-hour click-and-collect and a 15-minute skin consultation redeemable at pickup.
3. Integrated POS and CRM so consultants logged skin notes that triggered personalized replenishment reminders.

Results after 90 days: VTO users showed a 28% higher conversion, click-and-collect orders had a 35% higher AOV and repeat purchase rate for pickup customers increased by 18%. The brand used these insights to expand into 20 additional sites in 2026.

Final checklist before you launch

• Have you piloted VTO on a controlled SKU set? (Yes/No)
• Is inventory visible and accurate across channels? (Yes/No)
• Are pickup processes clear and fast? (Yes/No)
• Did you define staff roles and training modules? (Yes/No)
• Do you have clear KPIs and reporting cadence? (Yes/No)

Why acting now matters

Fashion retailers like Fenwick and partners such as Selected have shown that integrated activations drive footfall, social content and higher-ticket sales. In 2026, shoppers expect beauty brands to meet the same standard of utility and spectacle. Waiting means losing share to competitors who convert digital curiosity into in-store commitment and long-term loyalty.

Actionable takeaways

• Start small, scale fast: Pilot VTO and click-and-collect with a narrow SKU set and one store cluster, then expand on proven wins.
• Make the pickup moment magical: Use it for consultation, sampling and conversion — not just a handoff.
• Measure the right things: focus on conversion uplift, return reduction and repeat purchase behavior.
• Invest in staff: Equip in-store teams to complete the digital promise with consultative selling and content creation skills.
• Be transparent: Communicate how you use face and skin data for VTO — privacy builds trust and higher adoption.

Closing thought

Omnichannel is no longer an optional add-on. It's a table stake for beauty brands that want to compete in 2026. When curated digital tools like virtual try-on meet frictionless services like click and collect, customers get both the confidence to buy and the delight to return. Take a page from Fenwick & Selected: combine curation, tech and human expertise to create moments that convert — in-store, online and everywhere in between.

Ready to future-proof your beauty retail strategy? Start with a 90-day pilot: pick 12 SKUs for VTO, enable same-day pickup in two stores and measure the five KPIs above. If you want a checklist template and vendor shortlist tailored to your size and budget, request our omnichannel starter kit.

Click to get the kit, book a consult, or download the implementation checklist — and turn digital interest into in-store love.

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