L2’s 2014 Digital IQ Index: Beauty France report assesses and ranks the digital performance of 58 global and local Beauty brands in the French market over the past year. Here are some highlights of their findings:

• For the first half of 2013, the $8 billion beauty industry in France declined 2%; however, total French e-commerce sales were up 10%and is the only channel in the beauty industry experiencing consistent growth.

• Due to the increasing use of smartphones and tablet users, mobile ad spending is projected to grow 8% in 2014 in France.

• 74% of smartphone users in France have researched products using their phones, and 42% have used their phones to purchase a product. However, just 48% of brands in France have a mobile-friendly website, compared to 75% in the US and 60% in the U.K.. 53% of prestige brands maintain direct-to-consumer commerce sites.

• 4 of the 13 mass brands in the study (Bourjois, L’Oréal Paris, Natura and Yves Rocher) offer e-commerce – a higher percentage than the U.S. and U.K markets (typically early adopters).

• Just 29% of brands provide users with a customer product ratings and reviews page, a feature often accessed when a consumer is at the counter in-store. Estée Lauder was the only brand in the study that offers users the ability to sort reviews by ratings, date, and usefulness.

• 57% of French brand mobile sites have a store locater and 39% feature geolocation.

• Social media is growing at a relatively slow pace in France, as Internet users reporting they only spend 1.7 hours a day on social media channels.

• Among the various social media platforms available, Facebook remains the most popular with 34 million unique visits from France. Additionally, 88% of brands have adopted Facebook for a French audience.

• 54% of brands in France send branded emails and just 16% send personalized emails.

To access the full Digital IQ Index: Beauty France report contact

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