The result points to a wider shift in Australian retail, where premium brands that once treated Amazon as a discount-led threat are now being pushed to manage their presence directly as consumers increasingly search for high-end products on major marketplaces.
Distributed in Australia by Ozdare, Kevin Murphy partnered with ecommerce accelerator Pattern after facing strong consumer demand on Amazon Australia despite having no official marketplace presence.
The brand entered the platform in November 2025, just before the Black Friday Cyber Monday sales period, and quickly turned the channel into one of its fastest-growing retail outlets.
Within four months of launch, Kevin Murphy increased units sold by 115% quarter-on-quarter, while average order value rose 8.4%.
The growth suggests shoppers were not simply chasing discounts but actively looking for premium salon-grade haircare through Amazon Australia.
“Given the growing influence of marketplaces in Australia, it was important for Kevin Murphy to establish a stronger presence where consumers are increasingly searching for and purchasing products,” said George Leighton, Head of Retail (Consumer) for Ozdare/Kevin Murphy.
“At the same time, maintaining the balance between our professional salon channel and consumer retail presence remained a key priority throughout the process.” Leighton said.
The move also highlights a growing tension for premium beauty and haircare brands. Avoiding Amazon can leave room for grey market sellers, inconsistent pricing and a weakened customer experience.
But entering the platform without the right controls can risk damaging a brand’s salon relationships and premium positioning.
Pattern’s ANZ Managing Director, Merline McGregor said the results reflected a broader shift occurring across the Australian retail landscape as premium brands increasingly embrace marketplaces as strategic growth channels rather than viewing them as discount environments.
“Many premium beauty and haircare brands have historically approached Amazon cautiously because of concerns around pricing control, unauthorised sellers and protecting brand equity,” McGregor said.
“What Kevin Murphy has demonstrated is that with the right retail media, marketplace and brand protection strategy, Amazon can become a highly effective growth channel that complements existing retail and salon partnerships rather than competing against them.” he said.
Since launch, Kevin Murphy has also increased its Amazon Buy Box ownership from 65% to 91%, while multiple unauthorised sellers have been removed from the platform.
Pattern also built and managed Kevin Murphy’s Amazon Australia storefront, optimised product listings and rolled out advertising across branded search, category discovery and competitor targeting.
By the end of the first quarter, about 80% of ad-driven sales were coming from first-time Kevin Murphy customers on Amazon Australia, suggesting the channel is not only capturing existing demand but also introducing the brand to new shoppers.
“The reality is consumers are already searching for premium brands like Kevin Murphy on marketplaces, regardless of whether those brands officially sell there or not,”
“What Kevin Murphy has demonstrated is that when brands take ownership of that customer experience with the right marketplace, retail media and brand protection strategy, Amazon can become a powerful channel for both growth and new customer acquisition,” concluded McGregor.
