Estée Lauder Embraces AI-Powered Shopping with Shopify & MAC
Beauty industry titan, The Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE: EL), is rapidly propelling its digital transformation. The company is intensifying its significant partnership with Shopify, revolutionizing the way consumers discover and buy beauty products online. This week, the company — which houses brands like MAC, Clinique, Tom Ford Beauty, and La Mer — announced that MAC customers shopping on the brand’s website will now have their orders directly fulfilled through Shopify.
In addition, the company is gearing up to launch Shopify’s AI-powered feature for MAC next month. This tool is designed to boost brand visibility via AI chatbots and large language model search engines. Brian Franz, who recently stepped into the expanded role of Chief Technology and Transformation Officer, is spearheading this venture into what the company terms as “generative engine optimization” (GEO). Estée Lauder reported a 5% sales growth for the fiscal year 2026, hitting a revenue of $15 billion.
The migration to Shopify is a key component of Estée Lauder’s “Beauty Reimagined” strategy, which seeks to modernize its direct-to-consumer infrastructure across its global portfolio. The company initiated the process by migrating Tom Ford Beauty and Lab Series to Shopify, followed by the rollout of MAC in August 2026. This partnership aims to provide AI-driven personalization and seamless omnichannel shopping experiences at scale.
Source: Fortune — How Estée Lauder’s Top Technologist is Betting on “AI Everywhere”