• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 5, 2018

All hail Sephora — for the second year in a row, the beauty firm is the top retail brand in personalization, according to Sailthru’s Retail Personalization Index. 

The company scored 92 out of a possible score of 100 — a 13% increase over last year. It deserved this rating partly because of its “seamless integration across all channels, including physical stores,” Sailthru reports.

Next on the list are The Body Shop (84), Walmart (81), Urban Outfitters (81) and eBay (78).

The Body Shop and Urban Outfitters both increased their scores over last year by more than 30 points. The Body Shop recommends products based on the customer’s skin type

TechStyle Fashion Group’s brands —  JustFab, Fabletics and ShoeDazzle — all ranked in the top 20.

How did they get there? "We've structured the company to foster innovation across those areas, rather than silo it—a reality that many legacy retail brands are working to outgrow," states Adam Goldenberg, CEO of TechStyle Fashion Group.

Sailthru measures gaps in personalization and explores the ability to provide a tailored experience, customer satisfaction, retention, customer churn and the ability to drive revenue. It selects brands based on prominence, reputation, and retailer type.

To get on this roster, a brand must score 47 points or more. Some brands pulled as low as 7.

Zappos, which scored the bare minimum, improving its 2017 score by 1%, is cited for its “robust email preference center.”

"Brands are recognizing the need to elevate their personalization strategies and differentiate themselves from Amazon, providing curated and relevant experiences that can't be found on Amazon's domain," states Neil Lustig, CEO, Sailthru.

Here are the remaining top 20:

• American Eagle — 77
• Net-a-Porter — 77
• JustFab — 75
• Nordstrom — 75
• Adidas — 73
• ShoeDazzle — 73
• Frank And Oak — 72
• Nike — 72
• DSW — 71
• Fabletic — 70
• Bed Bath and Beyond — 69
• Shopbop — 69
• PacSun — 68
• Petco — 68
• Best Buy — 66