After receiving enthusiastic feedback from perfumeries about our breakthrough fine fragrance innovation, we wanted to ask perfume consumers about their opinion on Microcaps water-based perfume technology. What we found out, gave us certainty that our innovation is what consumers have been waiting for. In this post we have summarized the most important outcomes for you:
The setup
In our consumer testing at Jelmoli, Switzerland’s biggest and most prestigious department store, we had the opportunity to showcase our revolutionary water-based „perfume pearls“ technology to end consumers. The survey took place on a busy Saturday. Two microcaps employees were placed in the entrance-hall of the department store where they directly showed a sample product to consumers. The interview focused on the following aspects:
Visual Appearance: Perfume pearls are more appealing
Firstly, we showed consumers a sample based on our technology and inquired about the perception of the water-based perfume compared to traditional, ethanol-based ones. An overwhelming 80% of the participants expressed a preference for the capsule’s appearance over conventional perfume. They particularly appreciated the luxurious, fresh, and innovative look that the beads provided. This confirmed us again that perfume consumers are open for new products in the shelves of perfumeries and new innovative and healthy products in their hands.
Skin Feeling: Consumers prefer ethanol-free perfume
Secondly, we gave participants the opportunity to try out the product directly on their skin. As seen in the graph above, participants who tried the product on their skin rated microcaps‘ perfume pearls as either equal to or better than ethanol-based perfume in terms of skin-feeling. Many replied to us that our water-based sample perfume offered them a soothing and refreshing sensation. This was favored by consumers over the potentially harsh feeling of ethanol, known for its volatility and irritating effect.
Consumer readiness: The time is now
Thirdly, after allowing participants to try the product, we asked if they would consider purchasing a beads-based, ethanol-free version of their favored perfume. The response was an emphatic „Yes,“. A remarkable 95% expressed a willingness to try out a new, water-based and ethanol-free version of their favorite scent. This shows us that a vast majority of perfume consumers are open to new and disruptive products that come with additional health-related benefits and with a fresh look.
Price Sensitivity: More value may be higher priced
As a last question, we explored whether consumers would be willing to pay more for the additional value provided by a water-based version of their favorite perfume. Encouragingly, 70% of perfume consumers indicated they are willing to pay a premium for such a product. While some were open to paying up to 30% more, a majority of 65% considered a price increase of up to 20% reasonable given the additional benefits. This finding solidified the belief that features such as the refreshing, innovative appearance, the absence of skin-irritating alcohol and the possibility to use the perfume for both skin and hair are perceived as an additional value that consumers are willing to pay for. The price seldom hinders consumers from buying an appealing perfume. Given that it stays within a certain price range and comes with a clearly identifiable value for the consumer.
Summary: A strong sign for perfume brands
Overall, our consumer testing reaffirmed the readiness of the market for a groundbreaking perfume innovation. Furthermore, it indicates that consumers are ready to pay more for a fine fragrance product that offers them a healthier alternative to the skin-irritating, ethanol-based perfumes on the market. The gathered data clearly indicates that it is the perfect time for brands to plan the release of ethanol-free version of their best-selling perfume products. Microcaps is happy to help brands to turn their ideas into products and to provide them with the necessary technology for their next blockbuster. Contact us to speak directly with one of our experts.
