How do you find about about fragrances before you purchase them?

[Anonymous]

For me, I tend to always wear the same fragrance because it's too much trouble to find another one that I like as much. But I'm curious about the rest of you...I'm doing some research on how fragrance shoppers make purchase decisions. Can you help me? I can provide a $10 gift certificate to sephora for answering the questions below. Thanks for your help!

• How do you usually learn about new fragrances / perfumes for the first time (e.g. in a store, ads online, through friends / family, through an influencer, etc.)?
• When you’re thinking about buying a new fragrance / perfume, how do you begin your search? Where, or to whom, do you look for information?
• What role, if any, do physical stores play in your fragrance journey?
• What role, if any, does online shopping play in your fragrance journey?
• Besides price, what information is most interesting to you when considering a fragrance you would purchase for yourself? (e.g. the brand name, the influencer sponsoring it, its colors, the story or description of the scent, etc.).
• What clues do you look for to determine if a fragrance might be right for you? Is there any information you often wish you had that you didn’t when trying to decide to buy a fragrance?
• Have you ever purchased a fragrance / perfume without smelling it first? What prompted you to take this chance? Why did you think you might like the fragrance?
• What, if anything, can be difficult about shopping for new fragrances?
• Assuming cost was not an issue, what might make it easier to discover and buy fragrances / perfumes that you love?
• How interested would you be in an app that would help discover and buy fragrances you love?

[Captain1970]

I love testing new perfumes...they are all so complex! I read a lot of magazines and find a lot of great up and coming fragrances through them. I love the grab bags offered here at Sephora..so many times I’ve gone into a beauty counter and asked if they have a sample of something I’ve read about and they don’t have them available (bummer) I’m also not going to drop a lot of money on a scent without a test drive...especially helpful is trying it on, letting it sink in and how long does the scent last (so important to me). My nose hates cheap perfume, i swear I can tell if it’s cheap or expensive with just a whiff. Thanks Sephora for the testers!!!

[AmyMiriamsf]

• How do you usually learn about new fragrances / perfumes for the first time (e.g. in a store, ads online, through friends / family, through an influencer, etc.)? This is why I love the free samples that come with Sephora orders, I always pick perfume and see what I like.
• When you’re thinking about buying a new fragrance / perfume, how do you begin your search? Where, or to whom, do you look for information? Like I said, I get samples and go from there
• What role, if any, do physical stores play in your fragrance journey? I do a lot of duty free shopping and often get set there
• What role, if any, does online shopping play in your fragrance journey? Great for getting favorites
• Besides price, what information is most interesting to you when considering a fragrance you would purchase for yourself? (e.g. the brand name, the influencer sponsoring it, its colors, the story or description of the scent, etc.). If I can get a sample first and then price.  After that I just need to smell it.
• What clues do you look for to determine if a fragrance might be right for you? Is there any information you often wish you had that you didn’t when trying to decide to buy a fragrance? How long they last
• Have you ever purchased a fragrance / perfume without smelling it first? What prompted you to take this chance? Why did you think you might like the fragrance? Kinda, I will get sets that have a smell or 2 that I don't know but has other I do.  This is why I love the travel sets
• What, if anything, can be difficult about shopping for new fragrances? Discovery, making sure it work
• Assuming cost was not an issue, what might make it easier to discover and buy fragrances / perfumes that you love? Being able to get more sample sets to try new things.
• How interested would you be in an app that would help discover and buy fragrances you love? Maybe, depends on how it worked

[modernwarpaint]

• How do you usually learn about new fragrances / perfumes for the first time (e.g. in a store, ads online, through friends / family, through an influencer, etc.)?  - I use different mediums to educate myself on upcoming releases and fragrances in general - BIC, YouTube, Luckyscent, Fragrantica
• When you’re thinking about buying a new fragrance / perfume, how do you begin your search? Where, or to whom, do you look for information? - Fragrantica, Luckyscent, and the House website for the most part
• What role, if any, do physical stores play in your fragrance journey? - It plays a large role in actually smelling the perfumes and obtaining complimentary samples 
• What role, if any, does online shopping play in your fragrance journey? - it provides a supporting step in the research portion of fragrance shopping
• Besides price, what information is most interesting to you when considering a fragrance you would purchase for yourself? (e.g. the brand name, the influencer sponsoring it, its colors, the story or description of the scent, etc.). - the brand, the scent profile and appropriateness for a specific time & place, and honestly, THE SCENT NEEDS TO SMELL GOOD first and foremost.  I appreciate nostalgia and a scent that can transport me somewhere or evoke a specific mood.
• What clues do you look for to determine if a fragrance might be right for you? Is there any information you often wish you had that you didn’t when trying to decide to buy a fragrance?  - I study the notes, description, and reviews and see if it seems like something I would enjoy or find interesting.  Even if I don't like it, I still like smelling them to see if I can discern individual notes to train my nose.  The only information I really need is being able to smell a fragrance repeatedly prior to purchasing.
• Have you ever purchased a fragrance / perfume without smelling it first? What prompted you to take this chance? Why did you think you might like the fragrance?  Never a full bottle, but samples YES
• What, if anything, can be difficult about shopping for new fragrances?  - my geographical location 
• Assuming cost was not an issue, what might make it easier to discover and buy fragrances / perfumes that you love?  - to be able to smell a fragrance through my phone screen haha
• How interested would you be in an app that would help discover and buy fragrances you love?  If the app allows me to smell a fragrance, then I would be wholeheartedly interested.  I have an encyclopedia in my pocket, so I wouldn't be interested otherwise.  

[Samtian]

• How do you usually learn about new fragrances / perfumes for the first time (e.g. in a store, ads online, through friends / family, through an influencer, etc.)? I usually learn from here on BIC and social media, or emails from the companies themselves or those that sell perfumes.
• When you’re thinking about buying a new fragrance / perfume, how do you begin your search? First I look up the notes, and if that is interesting I try to find a sample of it.
• What role, if any, do physical stores play in your fragrance journey? None. I live in a very rural area and we don't have things like that near me.
• What role, if any, does online shopping play in your fragrance journey? All of it.
• Besides price, what information is most interesting to you when considering a fragrance you would purchase for yourself? Notes. I ignore celebrity and influenster endorsements. 
• What clues do you look for to determine if a fragrance might be right for you? Is there any information you often wish you had that you didn’t when trying to decide to buy a fragrance? I'm generally happy with just the notes and prices.
• Have you ever purchased a fragrance / perfume without smelling it first? What prompted you to take this chance? Why did you think you might like the fragrance? All the time. If I like the notes, or reviews of others I'll take the chance. 
• What, if anything, can be difficult about shopping for new fragrances? If notes aren't listed. Sometimes I see like "stories" about the scents but no notes. I need notes. It's sometimes hard finding samples.
• Assuming cost was not an issue, what might make it easier to discover and buy fragrances / perfumes that you love? Like a big fragrance dictionary type of thing would be cool. There are a few online, but I want something better.
• How interested would you be in an app that would help discover and buy fragrances you love? Eh I don't care for apps, but I would give it a try first.

[pocketvenus]

@Anonymousit would be good to know what you're using this research for and important to disclose if you represent another organization or perhaps startup company? I'm assuming this can't be for university research because there's no ethics disclosure.

• How do you usually learn about new fragrances / perfumes for the first time (e.g. in a store, ads online, through friends / family, through an influencer, etc.)? Usually I learn about new fragrances from press releases.
• When you’re thinking about buying a new fragrance / perfume, how do you begin your search? Where, or to whom, do you look for information? I do most of my own research online. There are also a few people I know online and in real life whose opinions I trust.
• What role, if any, do physical stores play in your fragrance journey? Physical stores like Sephora are great because they provide testers and samples
• What role, if any, does online shopping play in your fragrance journey? I can find samples and independent houses online
• Besides price, what information is most interesting to you when considering a fragrance you would purchase for yourself? (e.g. the brand name, the influencer sponsoring it, its colors, the story or description of the scent, etc.). How it actually smells ha ha??
• What clues do you look for to determine if a fragrance might be right for you? Is there any information you often wish you had that you didn’t when trying to decide to buy a fragrance? Notes pyramid and nose.
  
• Have you ever purchased a fragrance / perfume without smelling it first? What prompted you to take this chance? Why did you think you might like the fragrance? Never blind buy.
• What, if anything, can be difficult about shopping for new fragrances? I don't find it difficult.
• Assuming cost was not an issue, what might make it easier to discover and buy fragrances / perfumes that you love? An overall reduction in the sheer amount of copy-cat fragrances and general dreck in the industry.
• How interested would you be in an app that would help discover and buy fragrances you love? No interest although this question makes it sound like you are developing an app?

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[Anonymous]

@pocketvenus I am actually quite curious for myself but it's also for research around a startup idea i'm exploring. Thanks for asking!

[pocketvenus]

@AnonymousGood luck with your startup!

[greeneyedgirl107]

@Anonymous I'm happy to answer your questions.  No GC needed 🙂

• How do you usually learn about new fragrances / perfumes for the first time (e.g. in a store, ads online, through friends / family, through an influencer, etc.)?  Advertisements in Allure, e-mails from Sephora and Ulta.
• When you’re thinking about buying a new fragrance / perfume, how do you begin your search? Where, or to whom, do you look for information?  I will look up the notes on Sephora or fragrantica.  Then, I will always sample it in-store.
• What role, if any, do physical stores play in your fragrance journey? They play the most important role.  I personally would never blind buy a fragrance.
• What role, if any, does online shopping play in your fragrance journey? I like to read about the notes in a fragrance, and do on occasion enjoy reading reviews on fragrantica.  I liked it when Sephora had an option online where they suggested scents based on what you liked already.  So I searched under EL Pleasures, and it suggested Gucci Envy Me which I really enjoyed.  I don't think I would have found it otherwise.  I think if Sephora had their in-store fragrance search available online, I'd use it regularly.
• Besides price, what information is most interesting to you when considering a fragrance you would purchase for yourself? (e.g. the brand name, the influencer sponsoring it, its colors, the story or description of the scent, etc.).  I will often shy away from a scent b/c I don't care for the celebrity who is the face of the scent, or I don't care for the styling of the ad.
• What clues do you look for to determine if a fragrance might be right for you? Is there any information you often wish you had that you didn’t when trying to decide to buy a fragrance?  I like look to how Sephora categorizes a scent: floral, woody, etc.  As for what I wish, see above.  I also wish I had a larger selection of fragrances to choose from at the department store.  My Macy's doesn't carry anything exotic, and the Nordstrom is a bit of a haul for me.
• Have you ever purchased a fragrance / perfume without smelling it first? What prompted you to take this chance? Why did you think you might like the fragrance?  No
• What, if anything, can be difficult about shopping for new fragrances?  The cost.  Whenever I've found something I almost like, I usually don't make a purchase b/c I find the cost to be too high.
• Assuming cost was not an issue, what might make it easier to discover and buy fragrances / perfumes that you love?  A plethora of samples.  Many retailers offer fragrance samples with purchase, but I rarely get one that I'm truly interested in.
• How interested would you be in an app that would help discover and buy fragrances you love?  I don't use apps, so I wouldn't be interested.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much, greeneyedgirl16! Super interesting. You've given me some ideas for how I can pursue choosing a new fragrance as well as insights for a startup idea I'm exploring 🙂 LMK if you change your mind about a GC!

[Anonymous]

• How do you usually learn about new fragrances / perfumes for the first time (e.g. in a store, ads online, through friends / family, through an influencer, etc.)?

I have joined the play box subscription and also gone into the store to test out myself. With the prices as high as they are, I want to know I love the smell before paying the price.

• When you’re thinking about buying a new fragrance / perfume, how do you begin your search? Where, or to whom, do you look for information?

I prefer to go in the store to begin my search. I am not a fan of lollygagging at a store, so I normally ask a sales associate for help. I've always had wonderful experience! I personally prefer the musky woodsy/tobacco smell for the fall through winter. I went in last winter and found the perfect item - Jazz Club. Although it is a cologne, I still rock it!

• What role, if any, do physical stores play in your fragrance journey?

I'll be real - it has to feel amazing walking through the store doors to keep me coming back. Sephora hits the look and even the sound is phenomenal (music). I like how I walk in the door and I immediately see the travel size fragrances. This is great because I have a budget and don't want to spend $150 when I can spend $35 to see if I really love something.

• What role, if any, does online shopping play in your fragrance journey?

Reordering only due to the convenience.

• Besides price, what information is most interesting to you when considering a fragrance you would purchase for yourself? (e.g. the brand name, the influencer sponsoring it, its colors, the story or description of the scent, etc.).

I love knowing the history behind the brands. Where did the founder start? How did they get going? I'm a escentric lass from the mild-Midwest and I just love hearing the stories of people making awesome things happen, especially outside popular expectations (LA, New York, ETC).

• What clues do you look for to determine if a fragrance might be right for you? Is there any information you often wish you had that you didn’t when trying to decide to buy a fragrance?

It would be AMAZING if a sentence could capture the feels the fragrance is wanting to emulate the consumer. For example, I'm incredibly rugged (shaved sides, white hair, dreads and braids) and when I found Jazz Club I was like "YES! This screams edgy, rough around the edges, yet very sophisticated".

• Have you ever purchased a fragrance / perfume without smelling it first? What prompted you to take this chance? Why did you think you might like the fragrance?

Absolutely not. The smell must resonate with my personal style.

• What, if anything, can be difficult about shopping for new fragrances?

Decision fatigue. Too many options, many outside of my personal style. If there was an option where you could make a fragrance profile, then samples were sent or created for you that would be superb.

• Assuming cost was not an issue, what might make it easier to discover and buy fragrances / perfumes that you love?

Fragrance subscription box. Purposefully tailored to the consumer's purchasing history or fragrance profile.

• How interested would you be in an app that would help discover and buy fragrances you love?

I would love it! Haha this is what I was getting at 😉 Count me in for QA testing as I come from a UI/UX (user interface/ user experience) career!

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous Thanks so much for answering the questions! Where can I send you the GC?