The Art of Scent Merchandising: Display and Presentation Tips
In brick-and-mortar retail, effective merchandising can make or break your fragrance category. As a buyer, understanding the nuances of scent presentation isn't just helpful—it's essential for driving sales and customer engagement.
Why Merchandising Matters for Fragrance Products
Fragrance sales slipping? Before you consider swapping out product lines or revamping your entire strategy, take a step back and evaluate your merchandising approach. At Fresh Scents, we've found that merchandising is often the #1 factor in the success or failure of scented products in retail environments.
While some products sell themselves based purely on their appearance, many scented items depend more on their fragrance than their visual appeal. This creates a unique merchandising challenge: how do you create an impactful presentation for products whose main selling point can't be seen?
Creating a Meaningful Presentation
The key is developing a meaningful presentation in a strategic location. Your fragrance display needs to:
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Command attention in a busy retail environment
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Invite customer interaction
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Showcase the variety of scent options available
Remember that customers shopping for scented products want to experience multiple options before making a purchase decision. This browsing behavior should directly inform your merchandising strategy. In fact, research shows that when shoppers physically interact with products, they are more likely to make a purchase. According to Retail TouchPoints, customers who engage with a product—whether by sampling scents or interacting with a display—increased their purchase probability by up to 60%.
Location, Location, Location
If customers can't find your fragrance products, even the most appealing scents won't move off the shelves. Consider these high-impact placement options:
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Sidewings: Perfect for creating a scent destination adjacent to complementary products
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Endcaps: High-visibility locations that signal importance to shoppers
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Queuing areas: Capture attention during checkout when customers are primed for impulse purchases
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Corrugate stand-alone displays: Create a dedicated fragrance destination anywhere in the store
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Feature tables: Allow for creative, themed presentations that invite interaction
The Shelf Height Trap: A Critical Warning
Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of fragrance merchandising is shelf height. Our research consistently shows that bottom-shelf placement is devastating for fragrance sales, particularly for sachets.
Why? It's simple human behavior. No shopper wants to bend down repeatedly to sample different scents. When fragrance products are placed at inconvenient heights, customer interaction plummets—and sales follow.
Our comprehensive case study on shelf height reveals shocking data from multiple retailers who learned this lesson the hard way:
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A specialty craft retailer with 750+ stores saw sachet sales drop by 65% after moving products to bottom shelves
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A major retail superstore increased sales by 57% in test stores simply by moving sachets from bottom shelves to ideal height
The data is clear: optimal shelf placement—between waist and nose height—can dramatically impact your fragrance category performance.
Small Changes, Big Impact
The beauty of merchandising optimization is that small changes can deliver outsized results. Before deciding that your fragrance program isn't working, consider these simple adjustments:
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Elevate your products: Move sachets and other scented products to eye-level or chest-height shelves
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Increase visibility: Ensure your fragrance section has adequate lighting and clear signage
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Enable interaction: Create displays that encourage customers to pick up and sample scents
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Group strategically: Organize products by scent family or seasonal theme to create compelling stories
Your Path to Fragrance Success
Effective scent merchandising isn't complicated, but it does require attention to detail and an understanding of customer behavior. By implementing these strategic display and presentation techniques, you can transform your fragrance category from an afterthought to a sales driver.
Don't be afraid to get creative or bold with your fragrance merchandising. When presented properly, scent still sells—and sells well.
