Retail Gap Identified: When Sensory Has To Preveil Visual. Parfums Christian Dior Example.

Yesterday I bumped into Dior Beauty shopping display in Harrods, London. It was so massive that it was impossible to miss. Splash of color got me so engaged, that I even secretly checked the orange leopard ignoring the notice “Admire with your eyes only” (sorry Dior🙃).

📌Walking around (literally) the display I noticed an interesting detail - the parfums displayed on the outter circle were without spray caps. The lid itself had a smell of the perfume.

Any ideas why before reading the rest?😉

📌The purpose of the display was to introduce beauty junkies to the fragrances from La Collection Privée Christian Dior which are available in three limited-edition colors.

📌There are a number of the touching points while selling the parfum offline. But the main one is sensory experience. Customers can directly smell and test the fragrance, which is crucial for making an informed purchase decision. 

An important part of such an experience is the try-on option, as perfumes react with the skin and reveal themselves differently on each person.

📌Why were spray caps removed? 

I assume that was made to achieve:

• visual appeal

Full bottles create a more aesthetically pleasing and luxurious display, and enhance the overall store ambiance

• cost efficiency

which is slightly odd due to the price of the display itself and its purpose

📌What Dior loses with such approach

• limited customer experience

customers can’t fully test the fragrance on their skin, which is crucial for many when deciding to purchase a perfume

• inaccurate representation

the scent from the lid may not accurately represent how the perfume smells

• reduced engagement

less interactive and engaging for customers, potentially decreasing their interest in the product

📌Yes, you can still come inside the pop-up display and try the perfume on. 

This approach has:

↗️a targeted engagement while

↘️reducing impulse testing

Visitors don’t need to enter the display to go through the general area, but they surely pass the outer circle and might have tested the perfume on a whim.

While Dior display enhances the visual appeal and maintains product integrity, it may negatively impact the customer experience by limiting their ability to test the perfume properly and missing the impulse testing customers. Balancing visual presentation with an interactive customer experience is crucial for maximizing both attraction and sales.

* I currently have a project to sell for Dior Beauty in expanding into new product category which covers a significant market gap. Contact directly in case of interest. Details: https://lnkd.in/dU9dgj7B

**I offer consultancy to enhance client experience.

Details: https://www.2jour-stylist.com/consultancy-services