The Lush Experience

'You walk into a retail store, whatever it is, and if there's a sense of entertainment and excitement and electricity, you wanna be there.' ~ Howard Schultz, Starbucks CEO

Lush stores are mainly based in cities, with 105 stores across the UK and more than 900 stores in 49 countries. This worldwide retail presence is highly beneficial for the company, and has effective distribution of goods. Lush also has an online presence with the ability for customers, who many not be able to get to an actual Lush store, to still be able to purchase their products. Lush products are exclusive to the company, and does not supply any of their product range to separate companies meaning customers must buy directly from Lush. This Retailing is all linked to the Place aspect of the 7ps.

When shopping in the city, it is very difficult not to be lured into Lush store. The strong sweet smell and the bright colours incises customers in. When in the shop the sensory experience continues. With all the bath bombs, soaps and creams un-packaged and on display, you can touch, smell and even sample the different products before you purchase. 

The Lush employees are well trained in the products, and are able to assist customers with an extremely friendly manner. They demonstrate products regularly, and can provide satisfaction to customer needs. This relates to the People element of the 7ps. This high level of customer care is very important to a company as the employees are the face of the organisations and are who the customers are going to be influenced either positively or negatively. This is all true of Lush as in 2015, the company topped the Which? Magazines customer service poll on 100 top brands. According to Which? 'Shoppers love handmade cosmetics firm Lush for its happy atmosphere and welcoming staff. It tops our table with a customer service score of 89%' (Which?, 2015)

This also creates a relationship between the customer and Lush, with the customer feeling valued and likely to communicate positive statements, whether on social media or word of mouth, which is also considering the Promotion element of the 7ps.

This good image Lush can present purely from the customer being in the store, can be highly beneficial to the company as it provides media coverage which is basically free advertising, and can also create customer loyalty.

In select locations across the UK, Lush also has the addition of the Lush Spa, which according to the Lush website, will take you on a sensory journey. This further enhances the customer experience, and continues to portray the healthy and natural brand image.