Watsons invests US$250m to upgrade shopping experience in stores across Asia – MARKETECH APAC

Hong Kong – Putting its customers at the forefront, Watsons, the flagship health and beauty brand of AS Watson Group, has committed US$250 million to opening and upgrading 6,000 stores across Asia over the next two years.

Watsons’ investment will enhance over 2,200 O+O (offline plus online) stores across 15 markets in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The company aims to have more than 3,800 newly opened and upgraded O+O stores by the end of 2024.

According to Malina Ngai, group CEO of AS Watson, “As the leading health and beauty retailer in Asia, we’re committed to offering our customers the highest quality range of products at great value, as well as providing them with a very pleasant shopping experience. We constantly hear from our customers about where we can improve, and we work closely with key brands to improve category-specific experiences.”

“Watsons has been at the forefront of revolutionising the in-store environment for customers, and over these two years, we are investing USD 250 million in new store openings and upgrading existing stores across our 15 operating markets. We are opening over 1,200 new stores in 2023–24 and investing in refitting approximately 4,800 stores in the same period. This means 75% of the store portfolio in Asia will provide a more innovative and upgraded experience for our customers,” she added. 

The new and upgraded Watsons stores have been designed to appeal to modern beauty lovers seeking a more exciting shopping experience. 

Recently, Watsons China unveiled ‘Watsons Pink’, featuring a striking pink colour theme throughout the store’s interior, designed to attract and engage young customers. The stores also offer spa services, providing a relaxing experience that allows shoppers to indulge and pamper themselves while they shop.

Additionally, Watsons China has launched a ‘Beauty Playground’ zone in its new concept stores. This innovative area provides a chic, experience-driven makeup space where customers can access professional makeup artists for personalised advice and expertise. It also offers the opportunity to experiment with various looks and explore a wide range of colour cosmetics.

Meanwhile, Watsons Taiwan has reimagined its stores into an aesthetically pleasing space ideal for social media. The chic makeup zone features a lipstick-shaped makeup table and a striking circular pink light box on the ceiling. Additionally, Watsons introduces ‘My Colour Studio’, where customers can undergo seasonal colour analysis to identify their skin tone, eye, and hair colour, helping them discover the perfect colour palette for their clothing, makeup, and hair.

Watsons Malaysia elevates the shopping experience with a focus on fun and engagement. Alongside diverse experiential zones like ‘My Beauty’, ‘Hair Studio’, and ‘Watsons To Go’, they have introduced ‘K-pop Land’, a vibrant area dedicated to K-beauty products. This colourful, Instagram-worthy zone is designed to attract young customers, encouraging them to create memorable moments with friends. Additionally, the newly introduced ‘Kid’s Wonderland’ offers a perfect setting for families to shop together and enjoy quality time with their children.

In addition to enhancing and redefining the beauty experience for its customers, Watsons is also dedicated to expanding and elevating its professional health offerings.

To cater to the increasing demand from health-conscious customers, Watsons has introduced a revitalised shopping experience focused on health products and personalised consultations. In Watsons Hong Kong, the flagship store will include the ‘HealthQ’ health decoding station, where pharmacists, Chinese medicine practitioners, and nutritionists offer tailored health consultations, vaccinations, and assessments to support customers’ wellness journeys.

And in Thailand, Watsons has launched an enhanced health experience with a modern, stylish store design and a wide range of health products. To support customers on their wellness journeys, the store now features a private consultation room where pharmacists offer personalised, professional advice tailored to individual needs.

Ngai explained, “Watsons understands that simply providing the best products is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of our customers. We’re committed to continuous expansion and innovation, offering the best O+O customer experience. Watsons will always strive to inspire our 100 million loyal members to ‘Look Good, Do Good, and Feel Great’ with us.”