Dollars and Scents

Our family has been operating perfume stores and our online website since 1983. Without a doubt the number 1 question that we get is always, “are your perfumes real?” Of course the answer to that is a definitive yes. But why do customers have such reluctance to purchasing perfumes from discount stores like ours?

I have thought about this quite a bit over the years, and think that the problem is made up of a number of elements: public perception, brand cache, bad experiences, and the element of criminality. Let me explain…

• Public Perception - This is an important piece of the puzzle. The public has been taught over years of extremely effective advertising efforts by the fragrance companies that buying perfumes at discount poses a risk that the product may not be authentic. Now there is definitely an element of truth to that. Common sense says that buying perfumes from a person approaching you in a supermarket parking lot is probably not the wisest of consumer choices. However, when you purchase from a reputable source you will be getting authentic goods. Stick to retailers that have physical stores in shopping malls. So obviously the department stores are selling the good stuff (at their super inflated prices), but so too is the discount store in the mall. The fact is that shopping center landlords do not just lease out space to anybody that walks in the door. Their reputation is on the line as well and as such buying from the locations at the mall, even if they are discounters, will most of the time yield positive results.
• Brand Cache - The second cause for customer hesitancy and concern over authenticity comes from a mental oxymoron of discount pricing. When you walk into a store or see a website selling a perfume for 30% or 40% less than what it is sold for at department stores, your brain gets confused. It begins an inner debate as to why is this item so cheap. Without having the benefit of knowing the inner workings of the discount wholesale market, the brain comes up with the answer of “well it must not be real”. We see this with prescription drugs from Canada, electronics sold on eBay, and other brand name goods sold for less than the manufacturer’s retail price.
• Bad Experiences - There is an old business adage that says that an unhappy customer tells 4-8 people about their bad shopping experience. Perfumes is a funny product. It is a delicate balance of chemicals designed to smell the same on millions of of people who have different skin, lifestyles, and live in varying climates. That leaves many possibilities for unhappy customers who often times blame authenticity for a bad user experience. Sometimes a bottle wasn’t properly sealed at the factory, or the customer wore the fragrance in the summer and bought a new bottle in the winter and it doesn’t smell the same in that climate. Regardless, there is room for error and people blame it on “it must be fake”.
• Element of Criminality - The bad guys. Yes they are out there. Where there is a dollar to be made, there is often a crook waiting to steal it. Fake perfumes do exist. (So do fake iPods, Gucci purses, watches, Viagra, even cars!)

The lesson learned in this post is buy from a reputable source. If you are buying in person then consider where the merchant is located. Is it a shopping center, a flea market, or a stranger on the street? (Hint: Don’t buy from the stranger on the street). If you are buying online, then does the site look reputable, is there a phone number to call for customer service (ours is 1-877-273-7386), how long have they been in business?

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