In the age of online-only brands becoming multimillion-dollar enterprises, next-day delivery convenience, and social media-driven purchases, some brands doubt the strength of the in-store experience. According to NielsenIQ, in 2024, e-commerce accounted for 41% of beauty and personal care sales in the US market, presenting strong competition to in-store shopping. However, a Klavyio 2024 State of Ecommerce report also found that 61% of consumers prefer to buy directly from a brand’s retail store.For brands entering physical retail, the shelves of national and international retailers seem like a logical haven. A standalone boutique is the ideal for many, but the costs and required resources make it a challenge.A select few brands have bet on standalone boutiques to drive brand awareness and loyalty. Fragrance house Amouage has 19 standalone stores across North America, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Personal care brand Malin+Goetz has 22 locations across North America, Europe, and Asia. Color cosmetics brand Asteri, founded in 2023, already has seven boutiques in the Middle East. French luxury brand Officine Universelle Buly 1803 has over 37 outlets across Europe and Asia (including department counters). BeautyMatter spoke to Renaud Salmon, Chief Creative Officer, at Amouage; Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz, co-founders of Malin+Goetz; Sara Al-Rashed, founder of Asteri Beauty; and Victoire de Taillac-Touhami and Nathalie Elbaz, co-founder and CEO, respectively, of Officine Universelle Buly 1803 to discuss the challenges and rewards of building a standalone physical retail presence.