Pulse October 2022 | Page 14

MEMBER PERSPECTIVES

BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON

ELEVATING THE GUEST EXPERIENCE THROUGH RETAIL

THE MODERN-DAY SPA-GOER expects a 360-degree elevated experience the moment he or she first interacts with a spa , starting with the online booking experience and ending with the post-treatment shopping experience in the spa ’ s retail boutique .
Spa directors understand the importance of a solid retail strategy to help drive sales and profitability . However , recent events — from economic inflation to staffing challenges and supply chain shortages — have made the art of spa retail challenging . For any spa director to ride the wave of the times , he or she needs to stay attuned with what spa-goers want and provide retail options that meet their present needs .
Skin care continues to be the retail focus at The Spa at Kilaga Springs .
THE BESTSELLERS According to a 2022 survey by retail marketing company Catalina , an overwhelming majority ( 71 percent ) of respondents plan to spend as much , or more , on beauty and enhancement products in early 2022 as they did in the previous year . Skin care , without a doubt , remains the bestselling category in the spa retail space .
“ Skin care remains a champion in retail sales , from luxu- rious anti-aging products to eye pads and sheet masks that are easy pickups for traveling or gifts ,” says Charlotte Prescott , director of spa & fitness at Spa Internazionale at Fisher Island Club . Ludmila Milic — spa director at The Hotel Washington — agrees , expounding that she has seen skin care demand go beyond products to devices .“ NuFace and NuBody devices and LED face masks by Dr . Dennis Gross have become extremely popular . I have to re-order those devices
12 PULSE n OCTOBER 2022