Market report: Carslan in China
Carslan is a French cosmetics brand that enjoys a high reputation that embodies a sense of fashion, youth, and energy to its customers. Carslan introduced the brand from France into China in October, 2001. The company is split into six major sectors responsible for different duties: product development, quality control, logistics, color study, sales, and after sale services. It creates cosmetics products for lips, faces, eyes and nails.
Currently, Carslan’s Chinese branch is headquartered in Guangzhou(广州). It is responsible for the brand’s business for all of mainland China.
In China’s colorful cosmetics market, domestic cosmetics brands comprise about 15% to 20% of the total market. As a leading market player in the colorful cosmetics market in China, Carslan together with another Chinese brand, Kafellon(凯芙兰), has 50% market share. During recent years, the brand has been increasing investment in supermarkets as its retailing outlets. By 2011, supermarkets and department stores together made up about 40% of all of Carslan’s retailing volume. In mid 2011, Carslan successfully launched its line of skin care products, to complement its cosmetic products, and increase the brand’s overall sales in China.
In 2002, Carslan was still very young. Now, however, it is a first tier brand in China’s cosmetics market and is competing with big brands like Maybelline. Its secret is its ‘systemized operation’. Market research on Maybelline shows that 80% of its products are sold in department stores, supermarkets and A-class exclusive stores. The development of A-class exclusive stores is relatively slow, which gives Carslan an opportunity to gain a competitive edge. Carslan’s products have the same functions as those of Maybelline, but are priced much lower, and gained fame more rapidly.
From July, 2011 to March, 2012, Carslan launched a tour in China celebrating its 10th year of operations. This surprised the industry in many ways. As a result of this tour, its turnover in Suzhou(苏州) reached 410,000 yuan in 3 days, reached 280,000 yuan In Hangzhou(杭州) in 3 days, 270,000 in Pingdingshan(平顶山) in 8 days, 240,000 in Taiyuan(太原) in 3 days, 210,000 yuan in Jinan(济南) in 4 days, and 170,000 in Chongqing(重庆) in 4 days.
In 2012, Carslan invited Elva(萧亚轩) to be its spokeswoman. Eva is an international star and is well-known for her beauty. She coordinated well with the high end quality and fashionable look of Carslan.
According to the statistics from Tmall, Carslan ranked 5th in the sales of cosmetics in the first half of 2012.
Daxue Consultant China
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Credit Photo: Nipic
