Sometimes, the waiting is the sweetest part.

A few up-and-coming fashion and beauty companies have realized there is brand value to be had in delaying gratification. Products and services that come with a dose of anticipation and a certain element of surprise. These brands creatively mastered a differential advantage by simply playing-up the subscription model as their most attractive and valuable attribute.Continue reading...

JC Penney is on a roll with its collaborations recently, and the brand's latest venture merely adds to the accumulating snowball: The department store has teamed up with Sephora to create standalone kiosks.

This development comes only three years after JC Penney introduced in-store Sephora counters, a plan helmed by then-CEO Mike Ullman.

"Our customer spends approximately the same amount each year as the typical Sephora customer,” said Ullman. “She has the desire and the wherewithal to shop Sephora as it exists today.”

Mr. Ullman also used to head LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which owns Sephora.Continue reading...