🔑 Key Terms

Technology Integration

The adoption of AI, AR, machine learning, and other tools that improve engagement, personalization, and efficiency.

Competitive Differentiator

Technologies that give a brand an advantage over competitors.

Market Saturation

A crowded beauty marketplace where many brands compete for the same audience.

New Entrant Difficulty

The barriers that make entering the market challenging for new or emerging brands.

⭐ Why This Matters

Technology and competition shape every decision beauty brands make.
Understanding these forces helps students see:

• why Sephora invests heavily in AI and AR

• how personalization has become a baseline expectation

• why saturated markets force brands to innovate faster

• how competitive pressure influences timelines, channel strategy, and results

This slide sets the stage for the timeline and urgency that follow.

📚 Citations

Singh, P., & Mehta, R. (2024). AI-enabled personalization and competitive pressures in beauty retail. JETIR, 11(12), 111–117.