In 2018, husband and wife duo, Igor and Holly, created Bella Scoop – a mecca for premium skincare, beauty and tanning products. They were motivated by the prospect of a business venture that offered a variety of low cost beauty items with speedy delivery.
“Holly, my wife and the director of Bella Scoop, has a background in the beauty industry, having been a make-up artist and beauty therapist for the last 15 years,” said Igor.
“Her experience in the beauty industry meant we had the knowledge of product trends, favourable brands and new technology in skincare to give us a leg up when starting out.”
In an industry marked by continual transformation and evolution, their first step was finding what set them apart from the competition in a very cluttered market.
With a strategic focus on marketing and an early emphasis on social media, Bella Scoop quickly built a national customer base, boosted by its unique customer-centric approach involving the provision of samples and gifts with orders.
From the outset, it was a humble operation of two. Igor and Holly undertook the arduous tasks of managing orders, responding to customer inquiries, and sourcing products themselves – all from their own home.
“It was a labour of love. We did everything ourselves, right from the inception. It was challenging, but it allowed us to truly understand the nuts and bolts of our business,” said Igor.
Within a span of a year, business began to boom, with their unwavering commitment to same-day dispatch being their key selling point.
Starting out with a modest inventory of 10 brands, the success of the business has allowed its portfolio to grow to more than 80 brands, amassing to over 1,700 SKUs – a revolving catalogue in a constant state of evolution to stay in sync with fluctuating beauty trends.
In February 2023, Bella Scoop took a significant step by establishing a presence on Catch.com.au, a platform they had aspired to join since the beginning.
“If you live in Australia, you’ve heard of Catch – it’s a truly iconic platform. From the start, we always kept our eye on Catch and waited until we felt secure enough in our business plan to commence selling with them,” said Igor.
“The COVID-19 pandemic had slowed us down a bit and we semi-paused during that period but it gave us a good amount of time to focus on strategic planning to commence our partnership with Catch.”
Catch.com.au has played a pivotal role in propelling Bella Scoop’s growth, contributing to a substantial 20-30% increase in the volume of sales.
“Partnering with Catch has been a huge game changer. It’s allowed us to reach a wider audience and elevate Bella Scoop to new heights,” said Igor.
General Manager of Marketplace at Catch, Steve Traplin, says Bella Scoop’s perceptive eye for industry trends was working well with its customers.
“Skincare and cosmetics have always been key categories for Catch, but Bella Scoop’s relationships with popular brands like Revlon, Maybelline and Rimmel have proved highly beneficial. Platforms like TikTok have fueled the popularity of beauty bargains and have grown this category even further,” said Traplin.
As Bella Scoop continues to expand online through their own website and marketplace platforms like Catch, Igor says the relationships with vendors are the key to success.
“There’s been a great synergy between us and Catch, and in particular with our Account Manager, Nectaria. She has been absolutely instrumental in getting the volume we have and the ongoing traction from a business standpoint. We’re very grateful to her and the Catch team,” said Igor.