Singles’ Day (also termed 11.11 Global Shopping Festival by Alibaba) is held annually on November 11 and is the largest global online shopping festival. In the lead-up to this year’s event, our Brand Journeys to Singles’ Day 2020 series profiles 11 brands that are participating in Singles’ Day, and we explore each brand’s journey on Alibaba’s cross-border e-commerce platform, Tmall Global. In this report, we spotlight C.O. Bigelow, a heritage apothecary brand.

C.O. Bigelow: Brand Background

Dr. Galen Hunter founded C.O. Bigelow apothecary (originally called Village Apothecary Shoppe) in New York City in 1838, making it the oldest apothecary in the US. Headquarters New York City, US Funding Stage Self-funded Management Team Ian Ginsberg—President The first product sold by the brand was its Rose Wonder Cold Cream. C.O. Bigelow has since expanded to offer full lines of bath and body products, hair care and skin care, as well as apothecary remedies, fragrances and makeup. The brand’s Sixth Avenue New York store enables customers to pick up prescriptions, sells unusual personal care remedies and offers a personal service, giving the heritage brand its solid standing in the modern retail environment.

Brand Spotlight

Brand culture and heritage play a significant role in building product credibility and consumer trust. In an industry saturated with mass-produced products, C.O. Bigelow differentiates itself through its family-inherited formulas and by offering highly personal service levels and customer care. According to Ian Ginsberg, President of C.O. Bigelow, in an age of automated calls and screen-based communication, providing reputable products of quality and human interaction through customer service are key pillars for the success of the business. Bringing its trustworthy and high-quality personal care products to China for the first time, the brand is launching its skincare range exclusively on Tmall Global. C.O. Bigelow is using this year’s Singles’ Day as a route to enter the China market, having joined the event through Alibaba’s Go Global 11.11 Pitch Fest on September 15, 2020. Alibaba, China’s largest business-to-consumer cross-border sales platform, is helping international small- and medium-sized enterprises navigate their journey to enter the China market. China Market Growth Opportunities: Exclusivity, Trust and Quality The authenticity and trust that accompany successful heritage brands are highly important factors in the purchasing decisions of Chinese consumers. Many Chinese tourists visit US retail stores to share livestreams of well-known products by reputable brands through platforms such as TikTok and ShopShops. This presents a growth opportunity for the brand in its move toward China market entry on Singles’ Day. Prior to the pandemic, the C.O. Bigelow flagship store in New York was a popular destination for Chinese tourists seeking a niche American beauty brand. [caption id="attachment_118265" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Behind the scenes of a livestream from C.O. Bigelow’s store
Source: Glossy.co [/caption]   Concerns around product safety, along with Chinese shoppers’ desires for personalized experiences and their preference for recognizable and heritage-oriented products, present an opportunity for C.O. Bigelow as a premium US brand. To gear up for its first Singles’ Day shopping festival, C.O. Bigelow has curated an exclusive range of capsule collections that represent the brand story and ethos. Featured products include hero products from the brand’s Lemon Collection (Lemon Body Cream, Lemon Hand Treatment and Lemon Hand Wash). Also on offer are its Aqua Mellis Hand Wash and Hand Cream from the Iconic Collection, as well as products from the brand’s Rosewater range, such as Skin Tonic and Lip Salve.