A recent survey of more than two thousand adults aimed at establishing some key facts related to fragrances yielded some interesting findings. For example, fifty percent of the women interviewed said they would never buy a perfume without trying it on first. Now, that’s not exactly shocking news, is it? I mean, how many of us would go out and buy a perfume or aftershave without knowing what it smells like? Despite this, it seems that the fragrance industry as a whole doesn’t seem to understand this obvious point, or if it does, doesn’t seem to think it’s important.
This particular survey clearly emphasized the importance of ‘try before you buy’, particularly with women under the age of twenty-four. In fact, research from the previous year showed that as many as eighty-eight percent of consumers select a fragrance based on scent rather than any other factor. So, given these undeniable facts, why doesn’t the fragrance industry provide more opportunities for consumers to try products? Surely, if consumers have more opportunities to try new fragrances, they are more likely to buy or it could be that the industry would prefer that we drive purchase, making our purchasing decisions based solely on the evocative fragrance marketing behind each product. In essence, they’re not selling a fragrance, but rather the idea that wearing a particular brand will make you irresistible to the opposite sex, or exude confidence like whatever celebrity they’ve gotten to endorse it.
But as consumers, are we really that naive? The research seems to indicate otherwise, so maybe it’s time for the industry to accept that fact and make fragrance sampling more accessible. Of course, we could all go to our local beauty store or dedicated perfume shop to sample some of the limited samples available, but that’s not always practical. On top of that, to really try out a new fragrance, you can’t just go into a store and coat yourself in twenty different scents and then expect to make a decision on the spot. Perfumes evolve over time and change the longer they’ve been on the skin, so ideally try them one by one, over the course of a few hours.
Occasionally, sample vials of new products are available in store or, if you’re lucky enough to find them, online, but those promotions expire soon. So what is the answer? One niche brand in particular, Ormonde Jayne, has found a clever solution. They sell something called the Discovery Set, which is made up of twelve 2ml mini sprays of each of their perfumes, along with a booklet explaining each scent. Not only is it a great way to discover the brand’s products, but it also makes a perfect gift. Some of the big brands have produced mini perfume sets, with 10ml or 15ml perfume selections, but these tend to be hard to find and aren’t necessarily the most cost-effective ways to try out new fragrances.
Sample vials are definitely the best way for consumers to try out new fragrances, but the real challenge is how to get those vials into the hands of consumers. Obviously, there is a cost to producing sample vials, so it is not feasible to give away unlimited supplies, even for the big brands, but if the price is realistic, would consumers be willing to pay for samples? A trial perfume sampling service conducted in 2009 by a UK-based online retailer seemed to indicate that consumers were willing to pay a small amount to try new products, so it is to be hoped that over time , more perfume makers will follow the example set by Ormonde Jayne and allow us to try out new fragrances in the comfort of our own homes.