In this 5 Insightful Minutes episode, recorded live from NRF 2026 at the Vusion podcast studio, Josh Friedman, SVP of Digital and E-Commerce at Ulta Beauty, joins Omni Talk to break down why Ulta’s invite-only marketplace is outperforming expectations and how it’s already becoming a pipeline to physical retail.
From launching a “digital mezzanine” that expands beyond the four walls of the store to enabling in-store returns for all marketplace items, Josh explains how Ulta protects brand authenticity while unlocking growth in wellness, grooming, and beauty tech. He shares why Ulta chose a highly curated, invite-only approach, how launching ahead of holiday peak freeze paid off, and why nearly every marketplace brand is actively selling with return rates well below expectations.
If you’ve ever wondered how to launch a marketplace without compromising brand trust, this episode is for you.
Key Topics covered:
• The “digital mezzanine” strategy and extending assortment beyond the store floor
• Why Ulta chose an invite-only marketplace model
• Curating 150 brands across wellness, grooming, and beauty tech
• Protecting brand authenticity with no distributors or diversion
• Launching before holiday peak freeze and executing at scale
• Enabling in-store returns for all marketplace items
• 99% of marketplace brands actively selling and moving inventory
• Return rates significantly below expectations
• Test-and-learn strategy: graduating digital sellers into brick-and-mortar
• Balancing speed with standards in marketplace expansion
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Be careful out there,
– Chris, Anne, and the Omni Talk team
P.S. To see our full lineup of past 5 Insightful Minute conversations, head here.
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Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.