Opinion: A Return to the Origins of Perfume Shopping
Discover the nostalgic essence of perfume shopping as Sephora embraces a timeless shift by removing fragrances from its shelves Elena Sheppard beautifully captures this return to a bygone era in her insightful article
Elena Sheppard is a culture writer with a focus on books, fashion, theater, and history. She is set to release her first book, "The Eternal Forest: A Memoir of the Cuban Diaspora," through St. Martins Press. The opinions expressed here are solely hers. Read more of her views on CNN.
Many believe that cosmetic items are recession-proof. During times of economic uncertainty, such as now, consumers may cut back on big-ticket items like electronics or furniture, but they continue to spend on life's little indulgences, such as perfume or lipstick. This is understandable, as beauty products offer a relatively low-cost way to feel pampered and luxurious.
Elena Sheppard
The fragrance industry, especially high-end lines, is experiencing double-digit growth despite the uncertain world and economy. The way we buy these affordable luxuries in person is evolving, which is also changing our overall experience with the product.
Earlier this year, Sephora, a major player in the beauty industry with over 2,700 stores worldwide, made the decision to remove perfume and cologne from its shelves due to high rates of shoplifting. Instead, the company now has perfume samples on display and requires customers to request the item from a salesperson. This change comes from a company that revolutionized the way people buy beauty products, allowing customers to freely experiment with products in the store, a unique concept at the time of its US debut in 1998. This departure from traditional department store shopping allowed customers to handle products and fill their own baskets, rather than relying on a company representative.
Sephora has recently implemented a new policy where perfume and cologne are no longer displayed on the shelves. Customers must now request assistance from a store employee in order to purchase these items.
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Sephora
The success of Sephora was not anticipated. In fact, a 1998 New York Times article raised doubts about the store-in-process, asking: "Will women purchase as many products without sales clerks heavily promoting them? Will customers value the freedom to browse and experiment with products at their leisure?"
Certainly, the response was a resounding yes. A whole generation of consumers, myself included, was accustomed to this interactive method of acquiring our small indulgences.
Reverting to a different fragrance shopping model is a step back to the traditional ways of an earlier time. For several years, purchasing perfume at Sephora was a completely independent and luxurious experience—there is a certain privacy in visiting a store and being able to browse and buy what you desire without relying on anyone's help.
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Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook. However, it's important to not overlook the value of personal interaction. In the past, people had more face-to-face communication with salespeople, especially when purchasing items such as perfume. It may be beneficial for us to consider this approach as well.
The way we purchase our small indulgences is just as important as the products themselves. An unpleasant in-store experience or a complicated website can ruin even the most delightful purchase. Sephora's decision to remove perfume from their shelves has changed the way we interact with these products, bringing us back to the traditional way of purchasing fragrances. As the popularity of fragrances continues to increase, I am interested in not only the perfumes people are choosing, but also how their shopping experience affects their perception of these little bottles of hope.
