How Convenience Stores Are Reinventing Beauty Logistics

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.

The rise of male grooming, the demand for dupe products, and the growth of “test-before-you-commit” beauty consumption have all transformed convenience stores into essential retail spaces. More than a distribution channel, they're now strategic entry points for brand experience.

❷ Inside the Move | What's Driving the Strategy?

Brands are shifting from asking “Where should we sell?” to “Where will customers first experience us?”

-. CU launched exclusive mini versions of VT Cosmetics’ “Color Needle Shot” line in airless pump bottles.

-. GS25 debuted the color cosmetics line “HATTY” in collaboration with pro makeup brand Son & Park.

-. 7-Eleven expanded skincare SKUs by partnering with brands like Medipeel and B:ONCE for travel-size pouches.

-. Daiso introduced men’s skincare brand PREP by BeREADY, developed exclusively by Amorepacific.

-. Olive Young opened its largest men’s grooming flagship “Men’s Edit” in Hongdae, following success in Seongsu.

These brands are optimizing for accessibility, cost-efficiency, and ultra-fast feedback cycles from consumers.

❸ Business Playbook | How Are Brands Adapting?

This is no longer about controlling distribution. It’s about designing experience—across micro touchpoints.

-. Launch with low-risk mini formats (₩3,000–₩7,000).

-. Monitor response at store level → re-order → scale.

-. Emphasize function over brand name, especially for male consumers who buy for utility and ease.

Convenience stores are becoming the first moment of brand truth—where consumers discover, try, and form impressions in seconds.

❹ Market Impact | What’s the Market Response?

-. CU's beauty sales grew +18.1% YoY (Jan–May 2025) and +16.5% in 2024.

-. GS25’s beauty category surged +45.6% in 2023; sales for six key low-cost SKUs rose +35.4% MoM in Feb 2025.

-. Daiso’s beauty lineups expanded to 500+ SKUs, with 144% growth YoY.

-. Olive Young’s Men’s Edit zone in Seongsu drew 40 percentage points more male foot traffic than other specialty zones.

This isn’t supplementary retail—it’s the new battleground for beauty distribution.

❺ Competitor Matrix | Who’s Doing What?

Retailer	Strategy	Key Products / Partners	Differentiator
CU	Exclusive collab, mini formats	VT Color Needle Shot	Premium dupe with airless packaging
GS25	Color cosmetics, men’s care	HATTY by Son & Park, Acnes for Men	In-house brand strategy
7-Eleven	Skincare in pouch format	Medipeel, B:ONCE	One-time-use products, high rotation
Daiso	Low-cost male grooming	PREP by BeREADY	Proprietary Amorepacific line
Olive Young	Flagship men’s grooming zones	Men’s Edit, CX tools like SkinScan	Immersive grooming experience

❻ Beyond the Numbers | The Logistics Implication

Designing brand experience begins with logistics.

Rapid sell-through requires agile inventory control and 3PL partnerships.

Over 55,000 store locations mean SKU-level forecasting, stock splitting, and micro-fulfillment networks.

Seasonal, collaborative, or limited drops demand a tempo-based logistics framework—miss the timing, miss the customer.

Quality, freshness, and consistency (temperature control, expiration) directly affect brand trust.

Convenience stores are no longer just end nodes. They're live brand labs, and your logistics backend has to keep up.

❼ Summary Insight | What’s the Play?

You can’t control your message anymore.
But you can design the experience.

In the age of fragmented channels and short attention spans, convenience stores represent more than distribution—they’re your brand’s first handshake with the customer.
And increasingly, logistics will decide whether that handshake leaves a lasting impression.