Versed Expands Its Brick-and-Mortar Reach to Walmart

Nearly three years after launching exclusively at Target, Clique Brands' Versed has partnered with Walmart to further the brand's retail presence.The budget-friendly, clean skin care brand rolled out 11 cleansers, moisturizers and serums to 3,000 Walmart stores and Walmart.com in February. Each priced under $25, Versed products have no artificial colors and fragrances, are vegan and cruelty-free and were formulated in accordance with the European Union's safety standards, which prohibits more than 1,350 questionable chemicals, such as sulfates, parabens and triclosan, from use in cosmetics, according to the brand's direct-to-consumer site, VersedSkin.com.In stores, the brand secured prime merchandising space with a custom endcap positioning the line as clean, vegan and cruelty-free. The endcap also spotlighted the order the SKUs could be used to care for skin as part of a three-step system, with shelves merchandising cleansers and toners to "refresh," serums to "clarify and restore," and moisturizers to "hydrate and smooth" skin. Twitter and Instagram updates from Versed also promoted the brand's Walmart launch. The partnership advances Walmart's efforts to diversify its assortment with more indie, on-trend brands. The mass merchant has been aggressively pursuing deals with DTC brands to bring their products in stores in a bid to attract younger customers. Edgewell Personal Care DTC razor brand Billie rolled out to Walmart stores in February and Walmart became the exclusive retail partner of Bubble, a gender-neutral, DTC skin care brand, last year. "Walmart Beauty is focused on offering innovative, high-quality on-trend products, the same characteristics that are at the core of the Versed brand," Paula Ryan, senior merchandising director, beauty, Walmart U.S., told Global Cosmetic Industry magazine. "Our customers are constantly on the lookout for new beauty trends and products to try — especially on social media. Indie brands are able to innovate at the speed of these trends, which is why we continue to bring on more independent brands than ever before."