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Ridiculous! Olivier Durbano Increases Price by 60% - Why?

post #1 of 26
3/29/10 at 12:53pm
Thread Starter 
Isn't increasing the price of your bottle of perfume from $125 to $200 going to scare away or anger customers? Same bottle, same amount of juice, exact same juice, same packaging, but with a new price 160% of the original -- why? Does Mr. Durbano's firm expect people to quickly forget how much the original was priced?

I mean, when Histoires de Parfums did it, (their price increment was also large) it was a bit forgivable because they had an entire process of repositioning the brand, slightly adjusting and tweaking some scent's formula, a whole new set of modernized bottles, etc. The whole new presentation was a different experience. Oh, and they're cheaper than Mr. Durbano's stuff too now.

Serge Lutens' increase from $90 to $120 wasn't so bad. The 33% increase was acceptable.

Tom Ford, on the other hand, raised his prices on the Private Blend several times. However, he didn't do so in one-go, which was a wise move IMO.

I know price increases are inevitable. Business is business. However, as a consumer, I find this dramatic increase in price unacceptable. Way too much at one single time! It's like if Toyota was selling the Corolla then suddenly doubled the price. People would run away to get offerings from other marques like Honda, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet, Ford, etc!

What do you think? Is the new price justifiable for you? For me, I enjoyed Black Tourmaline and found it to be a very sensible and attractive purchase at $125 for those who enjoy the cloud of incense-vetiver, but at $200 -- no thank you!

(Is the price increase OD's doing or Luckyscent's? Anyone in the know - I'd really appreciate it if you could clarify )
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post #2 of 26
3/29/10 at 1:08pm
I think its a joke.

A few days ago i was thinking about buying a bottle of BT.
After checking out Luckyscent and seeing that insane price increase, Olivier can freaking keep it!
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post #3 of 26
3/29/10 at 1:12pm
Orrrrrrr... *shameless plug* you can buy it in the BN marketplace for a portion of the RRP. This morning I listed all 5 Durbanos there.
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post #4 of 26
3/29/10 at 1:13pm
To state the obvious, worth is very subjective. Especially in this game. I have and will in the future, I'm sure, shell out that kind of money for something that captivates me. I have tried Durbano's fragrances and for me the new price point is too high. In my opinion, there are other more captivating incense based fragrances that I would rather spend my money on.

Regards,
Steve
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post #5 of 26
3/29/10 at 1:16pm
Look at what Etro did. Is there no end? Nothing surprises me anymore.
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post #6 of 26
3/29/10 at 1:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron199 View Post

Look at what Etro did. Is there no end? Nothing surprises me anymore.


Yeah, lost me as a potential customer. As mentioned, it's one thing to creep the price up gradually (I can try to tell myself it has something to do with increasing supply cost... ha!), but when it's a sudden, across the board change... nope. Just a gratuitous price hike.
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post #7 of 26
3/29/10 at 1:58pm
It's unnerving yes. However, a price surge will not stop me from buying something I enjoy.
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post #8 of 26
3/29/10 at 4:02pm
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I think it is just an example of mass market marketing applied to niche fragrances: you produce something good, you get good reviews, you raise the price. Doomed to fail. But this is what you get when anyone with a couple of bucks thinks they can create a niche brand. To create a niche brand you need a good perfumer, a solid idea to motivate him but also a love for frgrance itself.
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post #9 of 26
3/29/10 at 4:20pm
I thought health care reform was suppose to stabilize prices!? Don't they know aromatherapy is an intricate part of it? All kidding aside, I posted about the prices going up a ridiculous percentage over the years a few months back. LV's used to be about $90 for a full bottle, now they're $120. When I bought my Floris stuff, they weren't more than $60 apiece, unless they were of the classic line, and I think they're pushing $90 or thereabouts now, too. Even the laughable 2.5 Burberry Sport is going for over $70.
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post #10 of 26
3/29/10 at 4:30pm
Well, I guess it means the industry is doing well. You couldn't increase the price like that if demand was low.

My other hobby (traditional photography) would fizzle pretty quickly if the price of film and chemicals went up by 60%. There aren't many of us left.
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post #11 of 26
3/29/10 at 4:35pm
Well, hang on a sec... here in Europe, Jade & Turquoise (for example) were selling for €140 a year ago. That's $188 US today. These scents are now selling for $200 / $210 at luckyscent, so the hike appears to be Stateside.

Durbano's prices in the EU have only seen a €10 increase (approx) in the last year. Perhaps your anger ought to be directed at the US stockist, not the European source.
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post #12 of 26
3/29/10 at 4:49pm
That's a ridiculous price for house that only has a handful of fragrances and only one clear hit (Black Tourmaline). Black Tourmaline is really good and something I would probably re-purchase for $120, but $200? I'm not sure I love it that much. His most recent releases, Jade and Turquoise, are godawful. I probably won't even bother to test his next releases unless I hear that they are incredible - which would be a huge turnaround from the last two.
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post #13 of 26
3/29/10 at 5:40pm
Maybe they are putting their fragrances in nice shiny new blue bottles!
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post #14 of 26
3/29/10 at 5:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

maybe they are putting their fragrances in nice shiny new blue bottles!

hahaha!!!
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post #15 of 26
3/29/10 at 8:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonyprince View Post

That's a ridiculous price for house that only has a handful of fragrances and only one clear hit (Black Tourmaline). Black Tourmaline is really good and something I would probably re-purchase for $120, but $200? I'm not sure I love it that much. His most recent releases, Jade and Turquoise, are godawful.

I agree 100% with everything you said. Especially about Jade and Turquoise.
They are worse than godawful. They are verging on disgusting! Very amateurish.
Maybe Olivier is just a one hit wonder.
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post #16 of 26
3/31/10 at 12:48am
  • CDG
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I think it's the euro thing. it will probably go back to 1euro=1dollar this year so Olivier is pricing in for the future, but I am not sure that's smart
Then again, I couldn't care less about this obscure brand.
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post #17 of 26
3/31/10 at 10:37am
Small price increments might be allowable owing to materials or regulations, but this is a "stand and deliver" highway robbery.

Remind me to pass over these niche scents.
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post #18 of 26
3/31/10 at 11:40am
Oh my god! I can't believe this! I saw this thread and went and checked Luckyscent and saw that, yep, Turquoise instead of what, 130$ is now 210$!!! The only one I actually *mildly* liked from his line was Turquoise, I actually thought about buying it for a while but in the end I decided it wasn't even worth the 130$, let alone 210$. And Jade? Puh-lease, smells like a a ferret pooped in an Altoid Case. I just hope this trend doesn't continue with some houses I actually do enjoy.
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post #19 of 26
3/31/10 at 1:06pm
I was about to buy Turquoise the other week from LS when to my horror I saw the new price. To be fair their price was originally very good especially when compared to buying direct from Durbano in Europe and I guess it was a matter of time the European scents would go up in price at LS due to the strong Euro against the USD. I ended up getting Biehl MB02 instead as I always wanted a full bottle of that and LS price was still favourable against European stockists. I don't think Durbano is such a bad line except for Jade which I thought was awful.

Andy
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post #20 of 26
3/31/10 at 1:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Healer View Post

To be fair their price was originally very good especially when compared to buying direct from Durbano in Europe and I guess it was a matter of time the European scents would go up in price at LS due to the strong Euro against the USD. I don't think Durbano is such a bad line except for Jade which I thought was awful.

Andy


Finally someone is talking some sense.
Seriously kids, we have been paying these prices in Europe for several years.
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post #21 of 26
4/7/10 at 5:16pm
I see Turquoise is "on sale" for $147: http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/secti...SpringCleaning
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post #22 of 26
4/7/10 at 6:20pm
  • kbe
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If a company sells a product for $100 and sells 100 of the product for a gross of $10,000 and makes x amount of profit, that company can increase the price of that product to $160 (a 60% increase in retail) and still make at least the same x amount of profit. They can do this by selling roughly 61 of the product at the new price of $160. So, they can afford to alienate or 'lose' approximately 39% of sales due to the new, higher price and still remain at least as profitable. Probably more profitable actually due to lower production costs for the smaller amount of product.

Unfortunately, raising prices of unique 'luxury' items is often a very good business move.
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post #23 of 26
4/7/10 at 9:39pm
^^^ Well, production costs per unit should go up as you scale down. Things are always cheaper in bulk.
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post #24 of 26
4/8/10 at 1:39am
I just tested Black Tourmaline and loved it. It was my first from this house. $200/bottle is too much for me though....
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post #25 of 26
4/8/10 at 2:19am
Well, if you can spend $125 on a completely "unnecessary" luxury item such as niche perfume, then why not $200? Or $500
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post #26 of 26
4/8/10 at 8:21am
In 2006 Tauer stopped selling 100 ml bottles, and only kept 50 ml bottles available at the 'same price'. He found it odd that some would call this a 100% mark up. Stated reason: he was only economizing on bottles.

I expect that the new (fancier) packaging will soon require different price tags.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Ridiculous! Olivier Durbano Increases Price by 60% - Why?