- Securing shelf space in the highly competitive beauty industry requires more than just great products—it demands a data-driven approach that proves a brand’s value to retailers. Milani Cosmetics needed a compelling, fact-based narrative to demonstrate its ability to drive category growth and incremental sales.
- By partnering with NIQ, the brand identified underperforming competitors, quantified its incremental value, and tailored retailer-specific recommendations. These insights not only strengthened Milani’s position in retail negotiations but also led to a 100% increase in shelf space with key retail partners.
Breaking through space constraints with data
The beauty and cosmetics industry is one of the most competitive retail categories, where brands constantly vie for limited shelf space. With new product launches, shifting consumer trends, and retailer constraints, securing and maintaining a strong presence in-store is a challenge.
To justify increased shelf space, Milani needed to demonstrate its ability to drive category growth and incremental sales. Retailers prioritize brands that bring measurable value, making it essential for Milani to provide data-backed evidence of its impact. However, without the right insights, proving that its products deserved more visibility could be an uphill battle. The brand needed a strategic approach to showcase its ability to optimize the shelf and enhance overall category performance.
Beyond just gaining space, Milani also had to ensure it was maximizing its current product assortment. Identifying the right product mix—balancing core bestsellers with new innovations—was crucial for both retailer and consumer satisfaction. The brand needed a clear understanding of which SKUs delivered the highest incremental value while also identifying underperforming competitors that were taking up valuable shelf space. By leveraging NIQ’s advanced analytics, Milani was able to navigate these challenges and build a compelling case for expansion.
“The partnership with NIQ was unique because they understood the nuances of our category and helped us design a study that showed the retailers the incrementality of the brand and the dollars we could bring to them.”
Jeremy Lowenstein
Chief Marketing Officer at Milani Cosmetics
NIQ’s data-driven insights helped Milani break through space constraints and secure prime retail placement:
For Milani, NIQ’s analytics provided a data-backed strategy to optimize product assortment and justify increased shelf space.
As a strategic tool for retail negotiations, NIQ’s insights enabled Milani to highlight high-performing SKUs and demonstrate category growth potential.
Shoppers now have greater access to Milani’s best-selling products, ensuring a more diverse and compelling beauty aisle experience.
NIQ’s powerful data capabilities equipped Milani with the insights needed to collaborate effectively with retail partners. By leveraging performance analytics and category trends, Milani made informed decisions that strengthened its retail presence, improved shelf efficiency, and drove increased consumer engagement.
“NIQ’s data-driven recommendations allowed us to optimize our shelf space and improve our inventory management, leading to increased sales and efficiency.”
Jeremy Lowenstein
Chief Marketing Officer at Milani Cosmetics
“NIQ enabled us to move faster and be more efficient with future projects because they took the time to intimately understand our business..”
Kelly Sobol
SVP, Sales and Customer Development at Milani Cosmetics
See how Milani leveraged data to expand its retail presence
Success in today’s competitive beauty market requires data-driven decision-making, strategic retail partnerships, and a deep understanding of category dynamics. With the right insights, brands can optimize product placement, justify space expansion, and drive incremental sales.
By harnessing NIQ’s powerful analytics, Milani transformed data into action, securing prime shelf space, strengthening retailer collaboration, and enhancing the shopping experience.
