Tell me which perfume you wear, I'll tell you how old you are: Modeling the Impact of Consumer age on Product choice

Perfumes introduced decades ago continue to compete against recently introduced perfumes. In this high involvement category, using a large survey and a conditional logit model, the authors show that the probability of choosing a long-established perfume, rather than a recently introduced one, increases enormously with consumer age. Furthermore, by comparing three possible underlying mechanisms, they demonstrate that an attachment model based on a consumer’s exposure to a perfume (preferences depend linearly on the length of time the consumer has known the perfume and can be developed at any age) fits better than an innovativeness model (younger people prefer recently introduced perfumes) or a nostalgia model (preferences are developed only during an early “sensitive period” of life). The authors draw managerial and research implications from their findings.Consumer choice; elderly; older consumer; age; perfume; nostalgia; innovativeness; attachment; conditional logit

Effect of biological relatedness on perfume selection for others: Preliminary evidence

People tend to choose perfumes to complement their body odour. As kin share some body odour qualities, their ability to select complementary perfumes for relatives might be higher compared to selection for non-relatives. We tested this in two studies, comparing selection of a perfume for a target man by himself and by either a familiar but unrelated individual (girlfriend; Study 1) or a relative (sister; Study 2). Target men applied the two perfumes (own/other’s choice) to their axillae and then wore cotton pads for 12h. Collected perfume-body odour blends and perfumes alone were assessed by rater panels. In Study 1, the blends were rated as nominally more pleasant when body odours were mixed with the perfumes selected by girlfriends compared to those selected by target men themselves. In Study 2, body odours mixed with perfumes selected by sisters were rated significantly more attractive than those mixed with perfumes selected by target men. No significant differences were found for attractiveness and pleasantness ratings when perfumes were rated alone, suggesting that it was the resulting blends that were uniquely different. Our results indicate that sisters might be particularly tuned to select suitable perfumes for their siblings

How Fragrant are perfumes? A Micro Perspective from Middle East

Satisfaction is a consumer post-purchase evaluation of the overall service experience. As an important determinant of customer loyalty and retention, firms exhibit most care to maintain customer satisfaction intact, unless it cannot be up-scaled. Middle East is known for its fancy towards cosmetics in general and perfumes in particular. The present study, which was conducted as micro level, undertaken in the Kingdom of Bahrain, attempts to understand the customer satisfaction of perfumes. The study discusses, inter alia, brand consciousness, brand loyalty, loyalty towards vending outlets etc.Customer satisfaction, perfume market, brand consciousness, brand loyalty, shop loyalty, consumer exploitation, purchase behaviour, buying motive

Perfumes and perfume-making in the Celestina

Celestina’s house, as Dorothy Sherman Severin notes, is at the same time ‘a bawdy house, a factory for perfumes and cosmetics, and a symbol of the misrule of a woman empowered by her illegal professions of sorceress, witch and bawd’ (Severin 1995: 45). In these pages I will endeavour to set Celestina’s skills in the context of making perfume and uses of it in the early 16th century

Original vs Smell-alike : a study of purchase intention drivers in the perfumes category

This study aims to understand which factors influence the purchase intention of perfumes by making a comparative analysis between original and imitation perfume brands. The latter have the exactly same fragrance as the original perfume but they are sold at a much lower price. Therefore, this evidence of a possible threat for original perfume retailers is going to be demystified. The theory of planned behavior was applied in order to understand what drives purchase intention. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that there is a performance and social risk associated with the purchase of perfumes and that could be the factor that differentiates the intention to purchase original perfumes instead of imitations. An online survey was conducted and the main findings were that attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control impact positively the purchase intention of perfumes. Moreover, when a customer believes that there is a price-quality inference relation, they tend to have a negative attitude towards imitation perfumes. Additionally, only performance risk influences negatively the purchase intention of perfumes. Finally, there was no evidence of differences between all the drivers influencing purchase intention regardless the kind of perfume. This study would be helpful for all managers of perfumes to gain insights in a way to increase consumers purchase intention. Improvement of quality perceptions, ensure good guarantees supported by good services, certify easy availability of resources and opportunities and launch marketing campaigns encouraging word-of-mouth communication are some possible strategies presented as main conclusions.Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender quais os fatores que influenciam a intenção de compra de perfumes, realizando uma análise comparativa entre marcas de perfume originais e imitações. Estas últimas, têm uma fragrância equivalente aos originais, mas possuem preços inferiores. Consequentemente, este estudo irá desmistificar esta possível ameaça para os retalhistas de perfumes originais. A teoria do comportamento planeado foi utilizada como base para entender o que impulsiona a intenção de compra de perfumes. Além disso, foi prevista a existência de um risco social e de performance associados à compra, que foram considerados fatores diferenciadores da intenção de compra de perfumes originais ao invés de imitações. Posteriormente, foi realizado um inquérito online que concluiu que a atitude, as normas subjetivas e o controlo comportamental percecionado influenciam positivamente a intenção de compra. Além disso, quando um consumidor acredita na relação preço-qualidade, este tende a ter uma atitude negativa para com as fragrâncias equivalentes. Adicionalmente, existe um risco de performance que afeta negativamente a intenção de compra de perfumes. Concluindo, não foram encontradas diferenças evidentes entre os fatores que influenciam a intenção de compra de perfumes originais versus imitações. Por fim, este estudo será útil para gerentes de perfumes, sendo que podem aplicar estratégias de forma a aumentar a intenção de compra. Melhorar as perceções de qualidade, assegurar boas garantias apoiadas por bons serviços, certificar a disponibilidade de recursos e oportunidades e lançar de campanhas de marketing incentivando a comunicação boca-a-boca são algumas estratégias apresentadas como principais conclusões

How is Commercial Gender Categorization of Perfumes Related to Consumers Preference of Fragrances?

AbstractOn the commercial market, most perfumes are categorized as either feminine or masculine, although the odour quality of feminine and masculine odours are overlapping and constitute a dimension rather than two separate clusters of odours. Earlier research has shown that typical perfume consumers tend to prefer perfumes positioned in the middle of this gender-dimension. The current study investigates the preference of perfumes from the middle of the gender-dimension while these are applied on human skin. The blindfolded participants indicated if they wanted to use the fragrance and if they wanted their partner to use the perfume, and tried to guess the gender of the person each perfume was applied. Results show that the gender of the human did not affect the preference. Moreover, the preference did not differ between female and male participants, indicating that the commercial gender categorization is less important to the perfume consumers. Consequently, the commercial gender categories do not seem to be sufficient for all perfumes. Instead, the categorization of perfumes could be according to other aspects, e.g. according to odour quality

Filipino Use of Designer and Luxury Perfumes: A Pilot Study of Consumer Behavior

This study investigates the usage patterns and purposes of designer perfumes among Filipino consumers, employing purposive and snowball sampling methods as non-probability sampling techniques. Data was collected using Google Forms, and the majority of respondents purchased full bottles of designer perfumes from retailers, wholesalers, and physical stores, with occasional "blind purchases." Daily usage was common, with respondents applying an average of 5.88 sprays in the morning, favoring fresh scent notes and Eau De Parfum concentration. They tended to alternate perfumes daily, selecting different scent profiles according to the Philippine climate. The study reveals that Filipino respondents primarily use designer perfumes to achieve a pleasant and fresh fragrance. Additionally, these perfumes play a role in boosting self-esteem, elevating mood, and enhancing personal presentation. Some respondents reported fewer common applications, such as using perfume to address insomnia and migraines. Overall, the research highlights the significant role of perfume in the grooming routine of Filipino consumers. This study represents the first attempt to comprehend perfume usage patterns and purposes specifically within the Filipino context. Consequently, its findings are invaluable for manufacturers and marketers targeting the Filipino market, providing insights into consumer preferences and motivations.Comment: 14 pages, 4 tables, journal article, peer-reviewe