.UltaBeauty's ceo Dave Kimbell is looking to combine his innate power of positivity with operational expertise to write the next chapter of growth for America's largest beauty retailer.
, while archrival Sephora moved into Ulta’s backyard — literally — as it gets set to open 800-plus shops-in-shop in Kohl’s. Then there are retailers like Bath and Body Works, which is increasingly building out its retail footprint in strip malls, as well.
“His skill set is getting into the DNA of a brand, understanding the consumer and the typography of the categories Ulta competes in and where they can be successful,” Wissink continued. “In a much more managed and controlled growth period, this is where you harvest the long-standing equity you have built with customers and vendors and partners.
By all accounts, so does Kimbell. Those who have been with him on such trips note that he relishes being in the store environment, and since becoming CEO, he’s visited everywhere from Arlington, Va., to Jacksonville, Fla., to Sheboygan Falls, Wisc. Brands say the method works. “Dave has great insights into the retail and beauty industry, and he knows how to turn those into consumer opportunities,” said Chris Good, group president, North America, of the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. “He brings a really good balance of passion, pragmatism and values in terms of how he approaches decisions and partnerships.”
Ulta has divided the assortment into five key segments: Down-There Care, Supplements and Ingestibles, Everyday Care, Relax and Renew and Spa at Home. “We’re building it out from an assortment perspective and showcasing it more from in-store to digital to social,” said Arnaudo, who noted that 65 percent of Ulta’s customers connect beauty and wellness. “We’ll lean in and see where we are getting traction and evolve from there.
Ross has worked with Kimbell since the early days of incepting her brand, Pattern Beauty, describing him as someone who is “available, authentic and open to feedback.”Ulta is on track to double its assortment of Black-founded brands by the end of the year, said Arnaudo, which will equal about 5 percent of the total assortment. Kimbell acknowledges there is work to be done.
For Ulta, Wissink said, success will depend on driving shoppers to its own doors — online or off — rather than brand websites. While it remains to be seen if that will be the outcome, one thing is certain: Ulta has been aggressively working to upgrade its omnichannel experience over the last several years to better compete against Sephora, which had online sales of $3 billion in North America last year.
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