SK–II Travel Retail

Future of Beauty Retail

Retail & UX Design

Project Details

  • Client

    SK-II & P&G

  • Teams

    Retail X & Future X

  • Date

    Spring 2018

Redefining retail experiences for YE skincare enthusiasts

P&G's luxury skincare brand, SK-II, faced the challenge of redefining itself as a “Brand for Me” among Young Executives (YE) — young women intrigued by technology and seeking personalized brand experiences. While SK-II was seen as efficacious but outdated in Japan, ambitious and relevant in China, and relatively unknown in the U.S., the brand sought to shift perceptions through innovative technology and disruptive retail solutions. The Retail X initiative, which would eventually become a larger effort known as "Future X", reimagined beauty counters across APAC with cutting-edge digital fixtures, creating unique and engaging shopping experiences.

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Kiosk

SK-II's Product Kiosk marked the debut of their "Retail X" efforts, a multi-year initiative to captivate digital-native skin care enthusiasts by introducing futuristic in-store experiences that would redefine SK-II's retail approach. The Kiosk was strategically designed to be a manageable yet impactful starting point, showcasing the potential for more ambitious digital retail implementations.

An MK Japan Beauty store in Harajuku was chosen as the pilot location, featuring a self-service kiosk to streamline product selection and order pickups. Grounded in thorough human factors research conducted both on-site and in the studio, the design process went through several rounds of wireframing and interactive prototyping in Axure, gradually refining the concept into a high-fidelity experience with custom video animations and transitions.

The result was a touch-screen kiosk powered by a bespoke web application capable of real-time order processing through an integrated printer. This feature catered specifically to the Japanese market, where a physical receipt is essential for manual record-keeping and order confirmation. This thoughtful design approach not only prioritized cultural nuances but also demonstrated the feasibility of SK-II's innovative digital retail strategy, laying the groundwork for future fixtures.

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Kiosk in MK Japan Beauty stores

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Kiosk start screen

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Testing the kiosk with users

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Human factors planning and early POC

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User flow to select product

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Check out and order printing

Two fully functional kiosks were installed in a redesigned section of the Harajuku store, creating an immersive and efficient ordering experience. On opening day, the kiosks drew significant attention, with beauty and retail trade press invited to experience and review the groundbreaking self-service technology. The successful launch generated widespread interest in expanding SK-II's digital retail presence, highlighting the need for careful planning and preparation to scale the concept across other locations.

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Planogram, install, and opening day

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Ordering and receipt printing

Roadmapping

Following the kiosk's success, SK-II embarked on a comprehensive roadmapping effort to build on its momentum. The team focused on identifying features that could enhance modularity and technological progression while maintaining a compelling shopper experience. Over several days, they mapped key stores in Tokyo and China, aligning experience features with each location's customer base, store size, and technological infrastructure. This strategic planning also balanced brand messaging with functional shopping tools.

The resulting roadmap detailed modular shopper journeys, enabling a comparative understanding of each store's potential for specific features. This approach allowed the SK-II team to clearly define the scope of work and create tailored solutions that fit the unique demands of each retail location while advancing their digital retail vision.

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Roadmap sketching across retail locations

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Journey planning and feature roadmaps

Image Scan

SK-II's Travel Retail division spearheaded innovation with a smart store at Changi Airport Terminal 2, catering to international travelers through Shilla Duty Free shops. Addressing a pain point identified through research—Chinese and Japanese shoppers relying on photos for product identification—SK-II developed a self-service fixture with image recognition technology. The prototype was meticulously tested using cardboard housings for a Samsung tablet, ultimately proving that no enclosure was necessary for accurate scanning.

The final design allowed shoppers to scan an image and instantly locate products via a larger fixture called the "Gondola". The design process not only identified ways to streamline the shopping experience but also offered ergonomic insights during testing, ensuring the fixture's height and placement optimized usability. The Gondola's innovative design redefined the airport retail experience, blending advanced technology with functional simplicity.

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Product scanning at Changi Airport

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Early image scan wireframes

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Horizontal tablet mockups

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Scan progress, error, and completion

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Results and catalogue browsing

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Cardboard prototyping the image scanner

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Five versions of the image scan housing

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Testing the image scanner

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Final testing before installation

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Image scanner in action in Changi T2

Gondala

The SK-II Gondola became the centerpiece of Changi Airport's beauty retail section, strategically placed along a high-traffic walking path. This fixture encouraged customer interaction by integrating a tester area that triggered dynamic content on a wide screen, ranging from product details to social content and tutorials. The screen also featured distinct interaction sequences, including an attract mode when dormant and functionality to assist customers in finding products on the shelves below.

Dynamic pricing displays and LED indicators enhanced the fixture's practicality, while beauty consultants appreciated its potential as a sales tool, enabling them to guide and educate customers. The Gondola also included an image scanner on both ends, making it one of the most advanced retail fixtures in Changi Airport, blending cutting-edge technology with seamless shopping experiences.

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Self-service Gondola in Changi Terminal 2

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Shilla Duty Free shopping space in Changi Airport Terminal 2

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Early concepts for Gondola wide screen display

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Attract loop sequence

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Install day at Changi Airport

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Highlights from the Gondola

Admin

As SK-II expanded its digital retail footprint across Singapore, Japan, and China, managing fixtures at both regional and store levels became essential. A custom admin application was developed, enabling beauty counselors to select fixtures, create planograms, and manage product placements with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality. The app also allowed real-time testing of features such as lighting and power schedules, streamlining daily operations.

The admin app’s capabilities grew to include six fixtures as more stores adopted SK-II's innovative experiences. By empowering staff with robust management tools, the app ensured consistency and adaptability across a growing portfolio of technologically advanced retail environments.

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Planogram editing for retail fixtures

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Creating and managing planograms

Sephora

SK-II’s progressive innovations led to a collaboration with Sephora Shanghai to create an interactive experience in their flagship store on Nanjing Road. Leveraging insights into shopper needs, the team designed a fixture that integrated motion tracking, pressure sensing, and touchscreens to engage customers at multiple distances. The experience unfolded dynamically, with animations attracting attention, product testing prompts engaging nearby shoppers, and tutorials featuring social reviews to guide purchasing decisions.

This ambitious project was driven by on-site research, bodystorming sessions, and detailed prototyping, which enabled the design team to move efficiently from concept to final design. Despite the technical complexity, the iterative process resulted in an engaging and visually stunning fixture tailored to Sephora’s discerning clientele.

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Opening weekend at Sephora in Nanjing Road, Shanghai

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Journey planning and user flows for Sephora retail fixture

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Sketches exploring the customer interaction sequence

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Bodystorming session to physically simulate the fixture

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Mapping behaviors to system responses

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Considering normal and outlier conditions

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Exploring physical interactions

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Bottle animation concepts

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Working prototype using Axure and laptop screen

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Live demo with P&G project team

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Live testing and debugging

The launch of the Sephora Shanghai fixture was marked by the inclusion of custom video tutorials featuring well-known SK-II influencers, adding an extra layer of engagement. The fixture’s opening received widespread acclaim in luxury retail and technology trade publications, reinforcing SK-II's position as a leader in innovative digital retail.

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Customer walking by the fixture

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Attract loop animations

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Tutorial sequence

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Reaction and exit animation

I’m currently leading the User Experience team at Taoti in Washington, D.C.

As Director of UX Design I'm looking after (and growing) an innovative, lean and effective team that delivers value to our clients. Get in touch with me to discuss speaking engagements and other professional opportunities.

My full work history is available on LinkedIn at btiny.link/linkedin

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