Cosmetics brand has high hopes in China

Tag : fashionable glove


"We make very early steps of the plan and we are exploringopportunities for manufacture, not only in China, but in Asia,"Steffens said in an exclusive interview with Shanghai Daily.

The US-based cosmetics maker aims to be among the top fivecosmetics brands in China by 2010. Since 2005 it has climbed sixplaces and last year ranked ninth.

After changing its business model in China from agent to directdistribution in 2005, Arden's sales network has expanded to 53cities across the country from 23 cities, and the number of itscounters also jumped 260 percent in the period, Steffens said.

"Sales have grown 450 percent since 2005 and the monthlyproductivity of counters also increased by about 200 percent," headded.

He expected that Arden's growth in China would be faster than theaverage level of the industry in the country.

The company will also adjust sales networks, logistics systems andinner structure over the next two years.

"We will focus on core pillars of our business, which for theChinese market is skin care."

Arden is aiming to make the brand image younger, more fashionableand professional by renovating and developing its Ceramide, WhiteGlove, Intervene and Prevage products.

It launched a new series of products in Shanghai yesterday.

Ceramide Gold ultra restorative capsules are designed to appeal toArden's younger customers.

The Nasdaq-listed company reported a net loss of US$3.8 million forthe three months ending on March 31 this year, compared to a netincome of US$3.2 million a year earlier, mainly due to the weaknessin the consumer and retail environment in North America and inBritain.

Arden would be more cautious in these two markets and put moreeffort into other regions, such as Asia Pacific, South America, theMiddle East and Eastern Europe, Steffens told Shanghai Daily.