Why have Sephora not opened shops in the UK or Ireland?

[hollyisalovelyname]

Just that.
Why have they not bothered to expand. The U.K. would be a huge market for them. Ireland a small market but a shop in Dublin would do so well.
What's the thinking behind their decision does any Mumsnetter know ?

I was just thinking about Bath & Bodyworks the other day Madison - loved that shop. The one at Bluewater was fab!

I always found I could buy everything they sold in Sephora somewhere else a lot cheaper. I still think the same when I go in stores abroad. It's v expensive.

I studied why Sephora failed in the uk as part of a business course:
Shop rents were to high in the uk plus wages = not enough profit
Business model was wrong. Sephora is mostly self service even for expensive products , there is no designated person stood next to a brNd who you can ask for help. Instead you have to find a cs. We prefer the counter led approach apparently, where we are shown products.

Couldn't make a profit. Rent and rates for the size of stores they had, coupled with service charges in the shopping centres killed their profitability.

Yes they can't compete with Boots here. There's a reason why Walgreens bought boots. Americans go MAD for boots as they have nothing like that in the USA. Sephora just didn't quite work.

They had a shop in Touchwood in Solihull until 2004. I loved some of their ranges but I'm not sure thei business model works here.

Cockblocktopus (best name ever btw ) - whaaaa?? How did I not know this?

Of course, I live in Perth, so we only get overpriced Mecca Cosmetica, but next trip over east - wey hey!!

Rents, lack of profit and a totally different market back in the early 00s. Youtube and blogs didn't exist like they do now pushing mid to high end brands.

Sephora was great in Kingston/Bentalls - I got a lipstick there that I just haven't managed to replace or match

We pop over to the states a couple of times a year as it's so close. I love Sephora and stock up on each trip. The U.K. is missing out!

Sephora was over here once...

What's stopping them? Boots, Debenhams, Marks and Spencer, John Lewis, House of Fraser, Selfridges, Space NK, the stand alone stores: MAC, Illamasqua, Charlotte Tilbury, Chanel etc.

Sephora would never survive over here anymore!

I am happy though: Kat Von D makeup is finally coming to the UK through Debenhams!!

I heard that sephora own brand makeup is going to be sold in harrods. Sephora do ship internationally

wizzywig they do but it's not worth the cost, especially with custom charges- last time I got charged £25 in custom charges

koala I'm in Perth too. Beauty shopping is pants here. I always want more at Mecca. Like a shop 3 times its size.

Completely agree cockblocktoptus! And the way the Mecca staff follow you around being 'helpful'. Just leave me alone to play with the overpriced Byredo perfume, will ya.

Disagree. We have plenty of beauty counters here in the UK!

There's a reason they left the first time...

I think they would do well. The US has department stores in malls with make up counters but Sephora stores are ALWAYS very busy when I go no matter when or where I go.

It's many many brands in one space, a far more friendly atmosphere than the frosty women on the big make up counters covered inch deep in make up. Selling not just make up but skin care, fragrances, gadgets and tools. I really do think it would work now. More and better brands, young girls and women being far more interested in make up.

The self-service would put me off, that's why I very rarely buy drugstore makeup from the stalls in Boots/Superdrug as there's nobody you can really ask if you need advice. I prefer the manned counters, and sure you will get frosty people at the counters but that's not exclusive to just them. The general sale advisors at Boots can be just as frosty.

But with all brands that were exclusive to Sephora are slowly coming over here, do we really need a Sephora? It's not like we only have Boots and Debenhams who have beauty halls.

I was recently on holiday in Thailand, Me and my DD were really excited to go shopping in Sephora in Bangkok.

When we got there we were so gutted that it was mega expensive,
a lot more than the English prices.

When i went in New York years ago it was so cheap.

Also I think part of the appeal of Sephora USA is that they have the US brands (and good value sets).

I think if they opened here (and going from memory of what they did before) it would be the same brands we get here just with the addition of Sephora own brand, which I don't personally find that amazing.

Sephora France has certainly never seemed to have much more amazing things than John Lewis or Fenwicks beauty hall (obviously depending on locations I suppose).

F0r me one of the big advantages of Sephora is the self service. I love To browse and test and think and compare without feeling obliged to explain or justify myself to a sales woman. It's the freedom of online shopping c0mbined with testers. I love it.

I loooove self-service.

The sales staff at Mecca (our Sephora equivalent) aren't frosty; quite the opposite. I just can't relax and browse properly with 2 smiling people hovering over me. I always end up leaving quickly!

I remember Sephora stores being here too, the testers were always manky and the stores felt grubby. So disappointing...

Sephora and Bath & Body works would both do very well now in the UK compared to 12/15 years ago. There is a whole new generation lusting after their products and spending a fortune in taxes to import them.

I would also like The Container Store and Trader Joe, if there's a wish list going on!

One in Dublin would be amazing. Would mean I don't have the excuse for stocking up every time I go to Poland though....