That Perfume Sales Person

They're sales people not experts by any means, many times I have asked for a fragrance and they don't even know what it is. 2 recent ones I remember were Guerlain Vetiver and L'Homme. There were 2 ladies when I asked for GV and they both had no idea what it was, until 15 second when one thought she knew what I was asking for and she finally found it. That was at a Macy's. The L'Homme was at Perfumania I believe, with a 24 year old guy. I had to point out multiple times where it was on the shelf and he finally picks it up and bam, he drops it on the ground, luckily it didn't break. He inspects the bottle reading the name and continues to spray numerous times all over himself in rapid fashion telling me that it smells great. These are just 2 experiences, almost every time I have to say the name numerous times and point out on the shelf where it is.

Then there were the exceptions, E'toile I think thats the name, in the Houston Galleria, has a very knowledgeable SA that can get anything at an instant and can also recommend frags based on what other frags the customer has or likes. I'm sure there are a few fragrance enthusiast SAs that work at department stores, I don't want to give the wrong impression. I feel so much better with these people because once you call out an uncommon gem they know where you stand, they wont go pushing the latest Hugo Boss or Diesel Only the Brave on you.

Lets face it they are paid to sell, they see what frag alot of people like and they recommend that to everyone. To the common nose, almost every fragrance smells good. And there is the fact that people buy frags based on the Brand, bottle, and color of the juice.

Sales people are marketers. All they really need to sell a perfume is training on how to move a product. Unfortunately, extensive knowledge of a product isn't always necessary. I'd love to see any one of you guys walk up to a counter and throw them for a loop.

Right. I've always wanted to work as a fragrance sales associate at like Sephora or something. Bringing a little class to the business.

Thanks for this post!

Sales people are...sales people. Some do not even market. They don't want to be bothered into even ringing up a sale and have no interest in the item (in this case, fragrance) they are selling.

Seller: "Like, I dunno?" (Smiles.) "I think it's, like, for, like, men. See? Hmm...what does 'homes" mean?" LOL!

I have seen this numerous times in department stores where they employ young teens to sell in all departments: apparel, handbags, etc. Gum chewing is the worst. Wasn't there a thread on the worst service for perfume sales?


...or which celebrity du jour is the spokesperson.

Most SAs hardly know what they are selling. From past experience, one did not realize that Tabac EdT was different from Tabac EdC. Another one did not know that Givenchy Gentleman was reformulated and that the tester should be replaced, or that Versace L'Homme could be a good alternative to Dunhill 1934, or that Cabochard is a female version of Aramis... and so forth.

As far as I know, they are there to sell the last brands big companies launched. This is even more obvious in big stores, key dates (Christmas, Father's and Mother's days, etc) and when big advertisement campaignes are being aired: you get into a store asking for, say, Guerlain Vetiver and there she / he is offering you Dior Homme Sport, just the same time you are seeing the ad everywhere.

BTW, I love wearing vintage scents, getting into a big store and asking, "have you got something like this"? Believe me, I do enjoy looking at their (startled) face and hearing "Sorry, but what is that you are wearing?".

So true. The exception to the rule are the specialty shops. The SAs at The Scent Bar are quite knowledgeable. Same goes with Santa Maria Novella and Le Labo. And Gendarmerie - well, you get to chat at length with the fragrance designer himself.

On the other side of the coin are the SAs at a certain outdoor perfume cart. No matter what you want to see or inquire about, they're always trying to push their Aqua Di Gio knock off and a scrubber called "Destiny" or something like that.

Goodness, the lady in the pix looks uncannily like my SA right down to the curly hair. My SA is Asian though- and bright and knows her stuff well. lol.

lol, nice read scentimus. Many of us feel you!

The problem for me when the SA imposes herself on me even if i tell her that i just want to take a look around ..... i try to put it very politly that i am looking for certain fragrances that i just need to test .... she says "Ok feel free" but keep walking with you ...... and yes, i never found an SA with solid experience im my area that can really help ......

So far I've ran into [B}two[/B] sales assistants that know their stuff out of the 50-odd that have served me since joining Basenotes. The other 48 I can safely say that I knew more about the Mens (and in some cases Ladies) fragrances I was looking at than them.

Take the other day; I asked for a 'woody' fragrance similar to Gucci pour Homme, the sales assistant sprayed Armani Code on a card, when there was Tumulte, CdG 2 Man, Azzaro Visit and others she could have sprayed.

I think it should be mandatory for full-time sales assistants to spend an hour on Basenotes a day

LOL. If an SA asked me, "Oh, you want to try the Bulgari Pour Homes?" I'll tell them, "No, sorry, I actually meant Bulgari Pour 'ese-s"*

*: Those who live in LA or know a lot about Mexican-American culture would know what 'homes' or 'ese" mean...

Honestly, I've learned more about fragrance through BN than I have at training conferences and whatnot with the companies. They want you to focus on emotional selling and the marketing - history of the company and things like that, when I've always thought it was the scent that was more important. Your nose tells you what smells good. And if someone comes in and asks for "fresh", I just want to give up there and then
Of course there are always some silver linings with the training, such as smelling notes in isolation or in the case of Guerlain (for Homme last year), allowing you to smell the accords seperately, which was fascinating.

I think it should be mandatory for customers to get their shit together and demand better service. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we (customers as a whole, not BN'ers) have only ourselves to blame for the crappy service we're receiving from perfume SA's: if all customers were more knowledgeable and not as eager to part with our money on stuff we hardly know, companies would instantly see the need to better educate their SA's. It's just the way the market works, stores will put in exactly the amount of effort that is needed to persuade us to purchase their offerings.

LOL @ perfect pic.
Non-Issue. Tell them no, and let them know what they can fetch you samples of.
Then thank them.
Simple.
No need to make fun of these MF, as bad as some of them can be.
Sometimes I feel bad for the nervous ones who know nothing, and try to comfort them with easy-to-tag-along humor.

Agreed. Especially in department stores where fragrance isn't their only product, why should they train their sales team to know the difference between a citrus note and a vetiver note? Most people shopping for frags at the Macy's counter are looking for a Birthday/Chrismas/other holiday present for a loved one. Besides, most people just want "smells nice" and nothing more.

For people like us, there are specialty shops.

This story reminds me of a time when a saleswoman tried to convince me to buy Penhaligon's "Endymion" at all cost, only because she thinks that men who wear it are irresistible.

Interestingly enough, this is only fun once.

The rest of the time it just becomes frustrating or annoying, especially when you just want to spray something and let it sit for a few hours while you continue with your other shopping.

On that rare occasion that you actually find an SA that actually knows his / her stuff, it's like you become instant friends. The rest of the time, I'd rather just order samples and test at my leisure.

I agree, the department stores here in the DC area are typically staffed in the manner you describe. Most of the time I have a pretty good idea of what scents I am interested in wearing and evaluating (vs buying based only its performance on a piece of paper). So, as they start into their blurb, often prefaced with "We have everything here" I will feign delight, then ask them for a Czech & Speake, Penhaligons, etc. Of course 99% of the time they have not even heard of the brand, let alone stock it. This will normally silence them just long enough so I can make my specific requests.
On a happier note, I have had great success at a local Sephora store located in the Columbia (MD) mall. Granted, the selection may be a bit limited but the SAs are friendly, not pushy, and can lead you to what you are seeking if you give them some clues about what you currently wear, the genre you are seeking, etc. And, they are quite generous with samples; if they do not have any from the company, they will decant a 3ml or so sample from the tester.

I think that'd be one of the best things SAs can do. It would let people to fully wear the scent to determine if it's something to purchase.

Well, it was a Penhaligon's, at least. Could have been a very popular fragrance under the argument that all mean wearing that are irresistible...


Your are saying someting that is right, but unfortunately, things are not that way. Customers buy fragrances without any knowledge whatsoever, and companies resort to manipulation for selling, the SA being just a part of this. Moreover, managers tend to make decisions based on past experience as a mean to avoid risks. This meaning that creativity as well as good sales and post sales services will be in the hand of a chosen few.

*THAT* would be priceless! Delivered in my best pachuco accent. roflmao!

Good comments from the two of you. It's a bit of a non-issue with me, although if anything I blame the consumer. Then again, Pollux makes a great point about consumer buying habits....ahhh!! I don't know what to think

I really like the SA at my dept store here. It's the only one that has any fumes to offer (I won't name it here). My favorite is an older woman, we've talked before and she's always given me samples. She really threw me for a loop the other day when I went to try men's cologne. I had a good idea which I wanted to try, 3-4 that they had. The first one she takes out of my hand and starts waving it in the air over my head, drenching me in a mist. Great, so I'm done for the day! WTH is this? Some goofy old notion this is the best way to wear perfume. Yeah yeah, I've heard of this, if you're going to the prom maybe.

I'm not trying to sound derogatory, but I haven't met a knowledgeable SA yet. However, I reside in Montana, which isn't exactly a bastion of perfumery. Still, stores should hire experience or train correctly.

The worst ones I've encountered are the managers who supervise the SA's. Unqualified is an understatement.

You said "should hire," but I think they only hire someone to move the product. I have seen teenagers with enthusiastic (yet vacant) smiles peddling higher end scent. The best thing to do is arm yourself with knowledge.

Then go and enjoy shopping: spray, sniff, savour--then perhaps purchase...after you have allowed the drydown. The worst thing is to spray and immediately fall in love with a scent--although to each his own.

Tell it! Tell it!

I hope that, in retrospect, you understand how annoying your behaviour was? If you'd pulled such a thing on me I would've run for the nearest bottle of Kouros and *accidentally dropped* it on the floor in front of you.