Perfume Behaviours Essay

Abstract: Wearing perfume has been becoming more popular among young ladies. There are thousands of perfumes in market and each young lady buy perfumes concentrate on different factors. Such as aromas, package, advertisements and so on. Therefore, this piece of research is to survey the key factor for consumers buying perfumes. This research is conducted by Qualitative Research and Secondary research. Qualitative researches are Elite Interview, Generic Interview and Observation. It used to prove my hypothesis is reliable and this research is ended with some recommendations concern with this research. Background: As perfume is regarded as one of the biggest Fast Moving Consumer Good (FMCG), revealed by 1371 different types of perfume are sold in Selfridges & co and annual global perfume industry sales revenue was $27.5 billion. Also data shows number of perfume brands carried by US department stores increased from 756 to 1160 between 2002 and 2010. (Statistic Brain, 2012) One short movie shows that when Marilyn answered a question in an interview about:† What do you wear to bed?† She said:† Just a few drops of N °5!† (Chanel2012, 2012) For some females perfume it seems like a cloth and plays an essential role in women’s daily life. Wearing a special fragrance can be one of life’s great personal pleasures. Perfumes can evoke memories, to transport you to another place, another time. Perfumes can make you feel sexy, flirty, and happy. (PR, 2012) The research shows the great Valentine’s Day gift is perfume. Mary Ellen Lapsansky, Vice President of The Fragrance Foundation said: â€Å"One drop of fragrance can say it all, do it all.†(PR, 2012) However, how can consumers decide which perfume to choose? Which factors can influence the user for purchasing perfumes? There are a huge amount numbers of advertisements in market. It seems like that advertisement or other commercial actions guide consumers to buy perfumes. Take Chanel No.5 as an apt example. In the 1990s, report reveals more money spent advertising Chanel No.5. It has been estimated, last year, that more than $20 million is spent annually on marketing for Chanel No.5. In last year the sale revenue for Chanel No.5 was â‚ ¬1.809 billion. (Nessymon, 2012) We have to acknowledge that there are many factors in mind of users which induce them to purchase a particular perfume. Some of these factors are aroma, price, packaging, brand loyalty, quality and habit. Therefore, the prime objective of my study is to analyze the effect of various factors on buying behavior of users. Methodology: This research is conducted by Qualitative research. Qualitative research methods contained three parts: Elite interview, Generic interview and Observation. Firstly, 1 sale person at Churchill Square in Brighton and two more sale people at Selfridges & co has been interviewed with some questions about what are the factors will influence the user for purchasing perfumes and their personal view on the hypothesis of this research has been asked. Secondly, 20 female consumers at Selfridges & co have been interviewed by Generic interview with their opinion on user buying behavior towards perfumes and agree or disagree with the hypothesis. Furthermore, an observation had carried out at outside of Churchill Square, which observe the number of women who were wearing perfumes out of 50 women who passed by the door of Churchill Square. In the meanwhile, their age ranges were being observed. Results: Results of observation: Outcome of observation outside of the Churchill Square was 31 out of 50 passers-by who is women wearing perfumes. Their age is that it looks like among 15-year-old and 30-year-old. Results of generic interview: The following picture gives the information of generic interview with 20 respondents about rating of importance factors when you purchase a perfume. The rating is from 1 to 5(â€Å"1† for least important and â€Å"5† for most important) with six factors (Aroma, Price, Packaging, Brand, Quality and Habit). [pic] It obviously shows that 17 respondents think aroma is one of the most important factors will influence their purchasing decisions, while only 1 person think fragrance is not an essential factor. Most Respondents think price may influence their decisions but not quit essential, therefore most rating gather around 1,2and 3. Both 12 respondents rate 3 and 4 for packaging and habit. Last, most people rate 4 and 5 for both brand and quality. [pic] This pie chart reveals that 57% of respondents will be influenced by discounts or free gifts, while another 43% are in the other side. [pic] As can be seen from the above picture 6 respondents consider samples of perfume counters not influence their choice, but 9 more respondents consist samples of perfume counters can or may influence their decisions. Then there are 10 respondents consider advertisement or brand ambassador can affect their buying behavior and one more respondents do not think so. Last, all my respondents use the famous brand perfumes, like Chanel, Dior, YSL, Givenchy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Results of elite interview with three sales people: Three sales people are interviewed with question about what will influence consumer buying behavior. Three of them are all thinking aroma is important. Consumer is not going to buy something that smells bad. Scent is a powerful tool for beauty brands, especially for perfumes. Additionally, they all think that most consumers are not care about the price of perfumes, because they think perfume plays a role of necessities in most people’s daily life or most consumers buy it as a gift. Then, one of them mentioned ingredient is important. Whether is this perfume suitable for sensitive skin persons or not. Besides, one of three think beautiful package, advertisements and brand story are all including commercial way, it has impact on sale numbers but not very essential, especially for same level brand perfumes. While, another two sales trust advertisements or brand can influence consumers buying decisions. Furthermore, one of them mentioned color of perfume also is a factor for consumer buying towards perfumes. Some consumers will come and say they want to have a perfume with green color or they need a yellow one. They do not think free gifts can influence consumers’ decisions. One of them said when a consumer buy a perfume, he or she always can get a huge number of perfume samples. But discounts can attractive more consumers. Discussion: All the above the analysis, the hypothesis is true. There are various reasons may influence the user for purchasing perfumes. No doubt, aroma is important. Consumers are not going to buy bad smell beauty product. Scent is a powerful tool for beauty brands, especially for perfumes. Besides, Scent can directly affect the mood of consumers. Nobody wants to buy a bad fragrance perfume and lead them into a sadly mood. Marketing is another cannot be ignoring factors. Almost half per cent respondents think advertisement or brand ambassador would influence their decisions. Also perfume companies invest much money on advertisements and take many actions build brand loyalty. In addition, all my respondents are all use perfumes with famous brand. Like Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, YSL. It reveals more investment on advertisements attract more consumers. But competition for same level brand. When you go to Harrods which is a very famous shopping mall located in London and all perfumes show in Harrods are famous with high quality. If before go there you do some research and want to buy a perfume which is one famous singer uses or is a very world-known brands. Sadly, you forget the name of the brand or the package of perfume. You also can pick up one suitable perfume without that information when you walking around the perfume gallery. Perfume is not same as clothes or shoes. People do not need follow fashion trend to buy perfumes they just need choose one most suitable one for themselves or pick up one suitable perfume use in a suitable atmosphere. However, there are some fans will buy same perfume as their favorite singer or actors due to they want to closer with their idols. Thus, marketing is secondary. Except aromas and marketing, there are other factor has effected on buying behavior towards perfumes. 23% respondents never change the brand of their perfumes shows that habit has the impact on buying decisions. 41 per cent of respondents change perfumes seasonally reveals that weather, life experiences or mood may change people’s taste or necessary of different fragrances. Additionally, age is one of other factors. Like many young ladies may choose the Chanel but many older ladies prefer the old brand perfumes. Color of perfume also can change consumer’s buying decisions. If my packaging and claims are â€Å"blue†, does my product smell â€Å"blue†? Successful products make these full-circle sensory connections clear to consumers. Price is not a sensible impact factor and free gifts or discounts may increase volume of sales but is small. Therefore my hypothesis is true. Fragrance is key factor for purchasing and marketing is secondary. However, it also exits many other factors can effect consumer buying actions. Conclusion: This research is reliable. But it exits several problems in my research. Firstly, I do the observation at weekend and outside of a shopping mall. Some people just use perfumes during workdays or use it only at weekend. Besides, I may neglect someone who is using a real pale fragrance. Thus the data is not very precise. Actually, I need take a quantitative research. Secondly, my research did at Selfridges & co and Churchill Square. Both of these two shopping centers are for high shopping level consumers. It means most respondents have similarity economic background and most of them use perfumes of luxury brand and do not really care about price or quality (as quality is the same). They also may more concentrate on brand story. Last, the distinct buying actors towards perfumes can vary from different culture background and different countries. However, this research is reliable due to the result collected would be same or similar if another research with the same hypothesis is carry ou t. Recommendation: For my research, I should do a quantitative research. Such as do an on-line survey. My observation should not only do outside a shopping center at weekend, I need do more at different locals and time. For perfume companies, we have to acknowledge that aroma is a key factor for consumers. Marketing (advertisement and brand ambassador) for perfume is secondary important. Although it not as essential as the clothes, shoes or other fashion products. As my first research is based on perfume of famous brand, it shows advertisements have tiny impact on product sales. But for lower brand it may opposite. Thus, I should do further research including diverse levels of brand. Then perfume manufactories should distill perfume from natural intergradient. They should take some actions related color of perfumes and package to fragrances of perfumes. This piece of research shows young ladies whose age between 15 and 30 buying behavior towards perfumes, but females on distinct ages with diverse life experience may have different consuming actions. I need collect information from wide age period. Bibliography: ‘A SENSORY JOURNEY: FRAGRANCE IN BRANDING’ 2012, Global Cosmetic Industry, 180, 5, pp. 48-54, Business Source Elite, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 December 2012 Chanel (2012) Marilyn and N °5 – Inside Chanel Available at: http://www.youtube.com/user/chanel?feature=results_main (Accessed date: 2012/11/27) PR, N (2012), ‘Going shopping for a fragrance? Don’t know what to choose? Let the Certified Fragrance Sales Specialist be your guide’, PR Newswire US, 21 June, Regional Business News, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 December 2012 PR, N (2012) ‘The Great Valentine’s Day Gift Dilemma: Question: What Gift Says It All, Does It All, in One Pretty Package? Answer: Fragrance, Fragrance, Fragrance’, PR Newswire US, 2 February, Regional Business News, EBSCOhost, viewed 26 November 2012. Statistic Brain(2012) Perfume Industry Statistics Available at: http://www.statisticbrain.com/perfume-industry-statistics/ (Accessed:2012/11/28) â€Å"FRAGRANCE FOCUS† 2012, Global Cosmetic Industry, 180,8, p.12, Business Source Elite, FBSCOhost, viewed 1 December 2012. Nessymon (2012), Analyzing Advertising: Chanel No.5 The Film Available at: www.nessymon.com (Accessed: December, 2012).