Bare Escentuals

Mineral cosmetics firm books $138.5 mil. in sales for second quarter of fiscal 2008, up 12% versus the prior-year period, "significantly" outpacing 4% retail growth of prestige beauty market overall, according to July 30 release. However, "broader economic concerns, combined with added mineral competition in the mass market, is causing us to have to work harder to acquire the more price-sensitive consumer. Specifically we have seen a clear trend of consumers increasingly favoring lower-priced non-kit-products over higher-priced kits," CEO Leslie A. Blodgett notes during same-day call. In June Bare Escentuals indicated that it would count on updated, $60 Get Started Kit releasing this fall to hook new customers, recognizing that "the vast majority of customers that try bareMinerals stick with the brand" (1"The Rose Sheet" June 23, 2008, p. 10). Now firm is "seeing reduced volumes" in its infomercial channel, "as we believe this customer has become more reluctant to purchase a $60 kit without the benefit of experiencing the product first-hand," Blodgett said. Firm is toying with the infomercial's format to improve its effectiveness and remains committed to the channel, which together with QVC represents the second most common way users are introduced to its brands, the CEO noted. Meanwhile Bare Escentuals has expanded its sampling efforts and use of non-traditional marketing in increasingly competitive mineral cosmetics market...