Supply Chain & Logistics Strategic Briefing
STREAMLINE: Small Shelf, Big Strategy – How Convenience Stores Are Reinventing Beauty Logistics
(June 22, 2025)
What used to be a place to grab triangle kimbap and a 1+1 soda has become the frontline of beauty retail. Today, mini ampoules, sunsticks, and skincare kits line the checkout counters of convenience stores across Korea. What’s driving this shift?
Consumers now want fast, functional, and affordable beauty products—often under 10,000 KRW. This has led to a surge in "dupes" (low-cost alternatives to premium cosmetics), mini formats, and experimental purchasing. Once dominated by H&B stores like Olive Young, beauty is now moving to hyperlocal, high-access channels: convenience stores.
And increasingly, that change is being powered by men.
❶ Point of View | What's Changed?
Convenience stores are no longer just snack shops. They’ve become micro-beauty labs—places where brands experiment with pricing, packaging, and customer behavior.