New kiosk technology may mean that fragrance brands and stores can extend their reach in sampling while cutting down on the number of workers. Lost in the process is the ability of a sampler to answer questions and close a sale.
Five-foot kiosks created by Scentest Communications are now being positioned next to perfume counters in roughly 80 malls on the East and West coasts of the U.S. When fully deployed, the manufacturer projects its network of Scentesters will generate in excess of one million consumer contacts on an average weekly basis. Impulse purchases have jumped up to 40 percent where the units have been installed, according to Scentest.
Cyrille Guyot, senior vice president at Scentest, told the FabSugar website, "This is an alternative sampling medium. The [scented] strip has been around for 30 years and it's a successful medium. It's necessary to the marketing mix when a company is launching a fragrance. But we wanted to push the envelope and introduce Scentesters into department stores to address the concern of traffic in anchor stores."
The units also act as an in-store ad vehicle with paid brand messages on the exterior. Armani, Ralph Lauren, Kenzo, Bulgari, CK, Cerruti, Cacharel, Lancôme, Paul Smith, YSL and Azzaro are among the brands that have been featured in the kiosks.
In response, proponents of traditional samplers are likely to point out that, in fragrances and cosmetics, the ability of a seasoned sampler to "reach" a customer and prompt a sale is a very important component of the marketing mix.
The fragrance kiosks are part of an ongoing trend toward self-service in customer service situations. A number of studies have pointed towards a trend of letting consumers do it themselves in retail stores. BCC Research projects the global self-service market will grow an annual rate of 17 percent a year through 2010.
Discussion Questions: Do you see kiosk technology such as that highlighted in this story enabling stores in more self-service channels such as food, drug and mass to be able to reduce the service gap that exists between these operations and department and specialty outlets? Do you see retailers making greater use of kiosks to help better serve customers and drive health and beauty related non-foods and foods purchases?
- Beauty Byte: Scentest Robotic Fragrance Spritzers - FabSugar
- A Revolution in Fragrance Sampling - Scentest Communication
- Self-Service Markets: Prospects for ATMs, Kiosks, Vending Machines - BCC Research