Despite a wave of product innovations designed to improve the performance and convenience of hair styling appliances, the category is driven largely by replacement sales at a pace that suggests most women wait until their current appliance stops working before purchasing a new one. Sales of hair styling appliances increased only slightly in 2008 as the category began to feel the heat of the economic downturn.
Some in the industry suggest that a weak economy will ultimately benefit the category as more women forgo visits to the salon and take more of their hair styling into their own hands. In order to take advantage of this emerging consumer dynamic marketers and retailers must educate women not only on the improvements built in to new products but also on how to use the products to their best advantage.
This report provides an examination of the hair styling appliance market, including:
- An assessment of some of the most innovative recent new products to hit the market - A review of the different branding and advertising strategies of the three leading manufacturers - How mass merchandisers continue to build on their position as the dominant retail channel for the category - Mintel’s examination of attitudes and behaviors toward the hair styling products category - Insights and ideas for how manufacturers and retailers can motivate shoppers to consider new appliance purchases
