Internet growing as beauty buying channel

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. A new study by The NPD Group found that the Internet is one of the fasted growing areas for beauty product shopping. Sales over the Internet now account for 4% of all sales or about $1.7 billion in the more than $42 billion dollar beauty industry. While this number may seem small, NPD says more and more women are buying online.

The NPD found that one in ten women across all age groups tell NPD they shop for beauty products, such as makeup, skincare, and fragrances, on the Web. The study also found that 43% of women who shop for beauty on the Internet say they spent more online in 2006 than they did in 2005. The number one reason they use the Internet is convenience. More than seven out of ten (74%) of those women say it "saves time" and about 70% say "it's easier/quicker to shop online than a store."

Women with higher income were more likely to shop online for beauty products. According to The NPD, 15% of women with household incomes at $75,000 or greater shop online, versus 10% of women with household incomes of $35,000 to $44,000 and 7% of women with household incomes of less than $35,000. 

The sites women reported using most often were Drugstore.com, Sephora.com, Avon.com, Clinique.com and Bathandbodyworks.com