MAC's biggest competitor?

[Katja]

The only problem with those statistics is that the 'other' brands is a vague description of what those other brands are. I'm assuming it's all the OTHER brands on the market, but who knows... Also, the records are from 2005. I'm sure the popularity of certain brands have increased since then.

 

[merleskaya]

I agree w/ coachkitten that L'Oreal is going after girls/women who like the MAC look but can't afford (or won't shell out for) it with the HIP line. The logo, the colors, the makeup on the models...it just seems very MACspirational. Max Factor, with the revamped packaging, and Carmen Electra as spokesperson, seems to be following a similar tack.

merleskaya

 

[geeko]

I Won't be won over by other marketing tactics by LoReal ...(I don't know why...i just DON'T LIKE LoReal as a cosmetic company...and i feel their products...are over rated.)

M.A.C is still the best for me...MUFE and MUS can compete with MAC in terms of quality ....i've never tried NARs so i don't know...there's no NARS in my country unfortunately.

 

[lah_knee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shriekingviolet If that's true though, why don't they do a better job at making sure they're as widely available as some other brands? I don't think you can say that MAC is looking to get their foot into every marketshare when they are plenty of cities, hell a few whole states, that have little or any MAC presence. Areas where Lancome, EL, and Clinique may have multiple counters, but that MAC has maybe one counter if it has one at all. Demographics are just age, gender or racial, they're geographic and economic too. And it seems on that level, MAC has opted not to compete in more aggie states or less urban communities in the same way a few other highend brands have. And it doesn't supplement that lack of face to face interaction it gains through having a physical presense in a community but having a more aggressive ad campaign so that more people will find their website and shop with them there.

but mac is opening hundreds of doors every YEAR because they are growing. they werent around nearly as long as the others. and considering they were even MORE exclusive when EL didnt own them, they have definately grown and expanded, trying to reach to people everywhere. and its global too. its growing at a fast rate... i dont think people realize just how much mac is growing. theres not many other brands where you can find community after community and forums and blogs DEDICATED to one brand that people rave about. its big.

 

[pinkstar]

I really don't think that MAC has competition... They're on a level surpassing everyone else..lol

Although, I agree with the other girls; companies like Nars and Smashbox are definitely trying to appeal to MAC fans.

 

[xbrookecorex]

If it's going by what the majority of people (not us) buys, definitely drugstore brands. Like.... every man woman and child of any age knows what Cover Girl is, but not everyone knows what Mac is. It's affordable, available, and well established through generations.

 

[Willa]

I would say MUFE, not because I love this brand, but if you go to a store in Mtl where you can find MAC, you can also find MUFE and they sell pretty well.

But the biggest competitor I would say any drug store products, because its less expensive and common people (who don't really have an interest in makeup as we do) will go for those, at first.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Loreal is. They're really into mimicking the MAC stuff, and let's face it. A lot of people don't want to spend MAC prices.

 

[Karen_B]

For me personally, NYX is probably the biggest competitor to MAC, or they would be if I could buy it in my country (Sweden). They have such a great array of colours, the quality is as good as MAC and the prices really can't be beaten.
Makeup Store is OK too, although for some reason I never fell for their products the same way I fell for MAC's.

In a larger perspective, I have no idea who is the biggest competitor to MAC. I don't know the other brands well enough.

 

[CaraAmericana]

I was thinking NYX too and wondering why no one brought it up before I read your response.

 

[jd-jd]

Dept. Store: Stila or Bobbi Brown
With younger gals: Urban Decay (trendiness)
Older gals: possibly Lancome (range of colors, lip products, etc)

 

[urbanlilyfairy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lah_knee uh uh... u all arent understanding COMPETITION. its not the companies that have similar pro products (like makeup forever) nor is it the others with "Bright colors" too... MAC wants to have the number one lipstick, gloss, eyeshadow, EVERYTHING! like i said they have a different competitor for each thing. they want to beat lancomes top selling juicytube because that has been number one. they want to beat diors show mascara... etc etc

GOod luck to MAC on beating diorshow lol ... or any other mascara imo ..diroshow + lancome FOrevererererer =P

 

[ndn-ista]

I would say Makeup Forever.

 

[Macnarsandlove]

I think it would be Loreal. I know someone metioned it before but the regular and hip line are aimed to be a MAC alternative. The pricepoints are the most similar. The difference between their gel eyeliner and fluidline is $2 if u dont buy it on sale. I would buy MAC anyday.
The only reason why I think nars cant compete is the availiblity is limited in most areas, the price is much more, and the most ppl arent going to buy the rated R duo for everyday wear.
MUFE is limited too, trust me I wanted to try the matte foundation they came out with a while ago and I had to wait until I could drive 150 miles to sephora.
Bobbi Brown's target is definiatly an older client that likes a neutral palette 10 types of "mauve" lipstick.
Lancome is pretty close but their ads are so blah and they have great e/s colors but dont put enough into expanding products. Their foundation is blah and eyeliners and blushes are antiquated. New lipgloss is great just wish they had more neutrals and a wider range of pinks. And I know its french and stuff but sometimes I have to stare at a bottle for a min to know what it is. Just annoying.

 

[ambidextrous]

everyone who serves the same customer needs as MAC... (economics definition lol)

 

[jillianjiggs]

i have to agree with beauty_mark in saying clinique. it is in every department store i have ever been to, and they are very approachable. it was the first place i got real makeup, had all my school dance makeovers there, and i still continue to buy their facial lotions.

it really used to be the "in" place for people i knew, and i think it's appropriate for the 12-13 year olds who want to begin wearing makeup (colour range and selection and it's a less intense/scary experience for the parents! going to an MA in a white lab coat putting on a soft shimmery peach eyeshadow rather than an edgy looking MA wearing all black and electric eel on her eyes trying to sell the same soft shimmery peach!)

but also, i would have to say drugstore brands. i have been basically sneered at when asked what makeup i use, saying they "get the same look using covergirl applied with a finger"

a lot of people are not heavily into cosmetics and have heart attacks thinking about spending $15+ on a lipstick, and just want their maybelline 3-shade palette and a loreal mascara.

 

[kokometro]

I do notice that drugstore prices are going up. I still just can't stand L'oreal or Lancome. I wonder if the VS makeup line is getting some of the market.

I think Mac is a resonable price compared to Nars and Dior. Even Smashbox (which is sort of like) is pricier than Mac. Mac spends a fortune on their image. Think of those hot mailer cards. It seems like they are sucessful at creating repeat business rather than new customers with their campaigns. I always wondered if other brands have the cult following that MAC does.

 

[seymone25]

Another for MUFE and Uban Decay

 

[darkwater_soul]

Heads up - EL doesn't own Loreal, Lancome does.

 

[darkwater_soul]

I think, to answer the main topic - Loreal, Maybelline, and Clinique corner the market, in approachability, ability to obtain product, and ease of use. There's no technique really needed with these brands, you don't need a lot of expensive applicators (brushes) and probably a good 50% or more of women love these brands and keep going back for that reason.

Now - on lah_knee's point of MAC trying to reach all sexes, all ages all races - probably a good 90% of MA's I have met (and I have met a LOT working in the industry) all LOOK THE SAME. Some are bigger, there are some men, some are smaller, some are black/white/hispanic/etc., but they all look edgy, artsy, what have you. I think that this is MAC downfall right now, is in the hiring. They need a wider demographic if this is what they want to achieve. Like, seeing a mid 50's woman with a small brush roll, in a black pantsuit and nicely coiffed hair, with some pretty simple makeup on, would be refreshing to me, and probably bring in a lot of clients closer to her age range. For example, how well do the icon collections REALLY do for the younger age set? Probably not as well as, let's say, Barbie for MAC. I'm not saying that ALL MA's look the same, I'm just saying (and I probably speak for a lot of people) that I generally see the same kinda look from the MAC MA's , with little variation here and there. And it shows in the clientele they attract.