Why doesn't Amouage offer refillable bottles?

[Thomas Martin]

Amouage bottles are so beautiful and well crafted they literally scream for being refillable. I would very much like to have a small refillable flacon of Epic or Jubilation for travelling. But considering the small price difference between a 50 and 100ml bottles, I always go for 100.

[SculptureOfSoul]

My guess is to prevent (or at least, make it much harder) tampering with the fragrance. It would be nice though. 100ml of most of their scents is just way too much as they are so strong. As mentioned in my signature, I really want to pick up a bottle of Memoir Man but don't need a full 100ml, and yet the 50ml bottle is as you said, not really worth it. *grumble grumble*

[Ekove]

Well, Refillable are not a big thing in the middle east, might have something to do with that. Honestly, who offers refills anyway? I can think of very few, Theirry Mugler, Chanel, By Kilian, Givenchy...and not even their whole line save for By Kilian.

[Mimi Gardenia]

This was my thought today and yesterday - refillable bottles- the bottles are exquisite. I was thinking 'How can I possibly throw these bottles away when I've used it all up ? " The Amouage symbol on the bottles are gold plated I think . Just seems a shame and waste to chuck them out.

[Thomas Martin]

Well, Refillable are not a big thing in the middle east, might have something to do with that. Honestly, who offers refills anyway? I can think of very few, Theirry Mugler, Chanel, By Kilian, Givenchy...and not even their whole line save for By Kilian.

Ad Hermes to the list. I get the impression, that refillables are very en vogue right now.

[chocolateguy]

A 100ml Amouage bottle can be weared in (at least ) 100years. Who needs a refill? :P

[gupts]

A 100ml Amouage bottle can be weared in (at least ) 100years. Who needs a refill? :P

Good point!

Besides, I am not a fan of refillable bottles. No doubt, Amouage bottles look good but the entire line has the same theme & that doesn't really make them collectible for me. I think one needs to have some more artwork of some kind to make the bottles desirable and consequently a refill option will become more viable.

[Thomas Martin]

A 100ml Amouage bottle can be weared in (at least ) 100years. Who needs a refill? :P

For travelling purposes. The 100ml bottle is so heavy and substantial that I almost need an extra suitcase for it!

[30 Roses]

The Armani Privés are refillable also.

[Oslo-Fjord]

Well, Refillable are not a big thing in the middle east, might have something to do with that. Honestly, who offers refills anyway? I can think of very few, Theirry Mugler, Chanel, By Kilian, Givenchy...and not even their whole line save for By Kilian.

Divine offers refills..

[PaulSC]

Most companies don't offer refills, because most companies use more economical packaging to begin with. There are plenty of examples of more elaborate bottles being offered alongside plainer refills. In addition to those already mentioned, there are the Guerlain Meteorites, The Different Company, Xerjoff...

Why doesn't Amouage follow this model? Maybe they worry people would just buy the refills (I would) and cut into their profit margin. Maybe as mentioned above they worry about counterfeit juice being sold in genuine bottles on the gray market. Maybe they feel it's not what their target customer wants. It's a business decision, of course.

[nsamadi]

Le Labo also refills.

[Mimi Gardenia]

Maybe they worry people would just buy the refills (I would) and cut into their profit margin. Maybe as mentioned above they worry about counterfeit juice being sold in genuine bottles on the gray market. Maybe they feel it's not what their target customer wants. It's a business decision, of course.

This could be it, Paul . Anyhow, I will be keeping my empty Amouage bottles because they are so gorgeous. My family can deal with what to do with them when I get old and decrepit. The new Memoir box is fab too - black and grey with silver .

[SculptureOfSoul]

Mimi, I hate to be a nuisance but is there any chance you could take a picture of the Memoir Box? I am dying to see what they look like.

I can't believe there isn't a picture of them anywhere on the net! I wish Amouage themselves would show the official packaging for all of their scents. It's so dang nice.. and then they don't even show it. Grr!

[Mimi Gardenia]

Of course SoS - my pleasure ! It looks even better in real life ! See the lovely silky smokey grey and silver with the overall black ? The box is shiny on the whole. A real magpie's treasure.
*** The purple color you see is my poor lighting- no purple on the box that I can see. Taken with my stupid Nokia phone ( the 8 MP is NOT really good ) !

[SculptureOfSoul]

Are those purple hues I see, too?!

Oh lordy, I hope the men's box is similar or even the same. *drool*

Thanks Mimi!!! Although, now, you've pushed me even closer to the edge. I really should wait to pick up a bottle - until after Christmas time, sadly. But... DO WANT.

[Mimi Gardenia]

Sculpture- I am sure the men's version will be just as beautiful ! Really, don't be deceived by the purple - the box is black ,silvery and grey but mostly black . Its so gorgeous.

[SculptureOfSoul]

I think I recall Mr. Reasonable, who I know owns both, mentioning a feather motif on a box.. so if it's not on the women's it must be on the men's.

Well, if anyone wants to go in with me on a bottle of Memoir Man, please contact me! It's not a scent anyone would need 100ml of as it's quite strong.. 1 or 2 sprays max! 50ml at the half bottle price is a steal.

[Mimi Gardenia]

A bit off topic ...but I saved the ingredients list from the cellophane wrap .Memoir is supposed tohave oakmoss in it but none mentioned on the ingredients list. Ubar (and Jubliation 25 if I remember rightly - threw that cellophane wrapper away ) - no oakmoss on the notes list but oakmoss is on their ingredients list.

[SculptureOfSoul]

Noooo, never throw away the cellophane!

Hmm, that's interesting. I imagine it's one of two things. One - they are lying ! Or, two, they are using a newer oakmoss extract (I know there was at least one, maybe a couple that have recently been developed) that doesn't need to be listed in the ingredients per the labeling laws. Given how little real oakmoss the IFRA allows, I do think that option two is actually plausible.

I would have loved to have seen the ingredients list for both of those! I have a thread around here somewhere where I was posting the ingredients of all of my scents. It's interesting to see what's listed.

[Mimi Gardenia]

Hang on - SoS - I am getting old- I did NOT throw the cellophane away for Jubilation 25- I still have it ! Oakmoss is listed on it . I will try and take pictures - no guarantee on pic quality though ! God knows where I put Ubar's ingredients list - it's around somewhere.

[Mimi Gardenia]

Memoir Woman list.

Jubilation 25 list - sorry for the blurriness- it was the best I could do ! You can see the last ingredient listed Oakmoss or Evernia Prunasti.

[Ekove]

Umm, if someone wants to start a business of filling real bottles with fake juice, they'll figure out a mechanic, there are much more high-tech complex scams that go around out there. Detaching a cap and then reattaching it is by no means very high tech. At least most caps I got seem to be easily removeable. (that's the top part at least, the bottom part is not, but I can see a way around it).

I doubt they'll fear people will just buy the refillable juice. Honestly, if you're throwing $200 on juice, you probably would like to have the $50 presentation on your shelf as well. I honestly think as simple as this; there's no demand for it, especially in the middle east, not only refilling is not a popular marketing strategy as it is in the west, Amouage are relatively cheap. Also, the idea of a "Signature fragrance" is not common in the middle east. Middle easterns might buy more perfumes, but most of the ones I know would always ask me "why would you buy the same juice twice?" It's sort of like fashion, if you bought something, wear it for a year or two and move on.

So, ultimately, I just think there's simply no demand for it.

[GLTASN]

i agree with paulsc's comment to the op's question about the perfume getting counterfeited as why they dont refill more brands, including amourage. perhaps another reason is spillage durring shipping and oxygen reaching the liquid wich can affect the scent.

[SculptureOfSoul]

Mr. Reasonable, I was curious if you could confirm if the men's box for Memoir is the same as the women's (which Mimi posted above) or if not, how they differ. Thanks

[mr. reasonable]

Watch this space - I'll try and get the camera upload thing sorted on the weekend - rocket science territory

[RSharma314]

Amouage Memoir Man, and other Amouage offerings:
http://www.basenotes.net/album.php?albumid=603

[moreda]

Good point!

Besides, I am not a fan of refillable bottles. No doubt, Amouage bottles look good but the entire line has the same theme & that doesn't really make them collectible for me. I think one needs to have some more artwork of some kind to make the bottles desirable and consequently a refill option will become more viable.

well,

they used to be art works!!!

[moreda]

this is my petit amuage colection after loosing 5 bottles while traveling and i am waiting for 4 to come from Oman.

[RSharma314]

OH NO, Moreda! Not in direct sunlight!

[30 Roses]

Beautiful collection, Mo!

[Ekove]

OH NO, Moreda! Not in direct sunlight!

exactly what I told him in a different thread...

[moreda]

hello guys

that was jsut for the picture.... they are normally in a closet.
and the window is about 10 meters away
but thatnx all of u for the advice

[Pollux]

Because Amoauge managers think that it is against ther profit-making policies, besides the fact it would destroy the perceived value of their brand and thus, its brand-equity. A logical move when it comes to specialty goods - we are talking about luxury, and luxury revolves around the concept of conspicous consumption, this meaning the rationalty of scarcity management is completely ruled out.

OK, Hermes is a luxury brand selling refillable bottles, IMHO, because this improves their chances of selling specialty goods to people who cannot afford full priced goods - someone won't be able to afford Hermes' leather goods, but that person will be capable of affording a 30 ml bottle of whatever scent is sold under that brandname.

Well, it is cristal clear Amouage's owners and / or marketing managers do not want this to happen.

Sorry, pal, Amouage is only for rich people.

[Sandy]

Sorry, pal, Amouage is only for rich people.

I don't agree. I'm not a rich man, even not to hungarian standards, which is way far less than that of the USA, Western-Europe, and so on. Yet, I've already tested 90 percent of their offerings, my bag is full of their samples, Memoir, Opus line, etc.. One sample might be enough for months, they are so strong. An average human surely can afford from time to time one-two samples. Of course, I can't afford my shelf to be full of hectoliters of scents. But if I really want to test, try something, I can do it, without question.

[Pollux]

... One sample might be enough for months, they are so strong...

I am talking about full bottles, you are talking about samples. You are right: it is not for rich people... when it comes to samples.

[SculptureOfSoul]

Well, one scent of theirs can be had for about the price of 5 or 6 bottles of most stuff at retail. If you'd prefer the Amouage to the 6 other choices - and that is of course a big if - then it's just a matter of if you can show enough restraint and not purchase anything for the period of time it would take to save that kind of money. It's so much easier to make those small and quick purchases every month but they add up quickly. I buy maybe 2 or 3 frags a year and every once in a while one of those is an Amouage. I'm far from rich, but I value scent so highly in my life that if there is a scent I truly love, I will find a way to save and save and save and acquire it eventually. It's really a question of value. On the flipside, I understand that many people don't value scent as highly or in the same way and simply cannot imagine ever spending that much on a frag. Of course, what confuses me is that they'll gladly spend that much on fragrances in general.. so I can't understand that idea of being opposed to the principle of spending that much on a single scent. Of course, if someone doesn't love an expensive frag, it's not worth a dime to them, but if you absolutely lvoe something that's $300, and will end up spending that much on frags in 6 months anyway.. why not purchase the love instead of the "really likes"?

Lastly, it's about 18 cents a spray for an Amouage. Given that most are one spray scents that last 10+ hours, the value to cost ratio is excellent and exceeds basically any other form of entertainment/enjoyment outside of say, reading.

[chocolateguy]

I am talking about full bottles, you are talking about samples. You are right: it is not for rich people... when it comes to samples.

I'm not rich, but I have a few Amouage scents. I do agree with SoS, I prefer one good scent to several boring and useless ones. One spray of Amouage = 3 or 4 other scents spray. So you still think Amouage is expensive???

Amouage is just a bottle, not a car :-)) I will tell you that you are rich, if you have a Mercedes. But I"m not so sure if you are when you wear Amouage scents.

[sym]

I'm not rich, but I have a few Amouage scents. I do agree with SoS, I prefer one good scent to several boring and useless ones. One spray of Amouage = 3 or 4 other scents spray. So you still think Amouage is expensive???

Amouage is just a bottle, not a car :-)) I will tell you that you are rich, if you have a Mercedes. But I"m not so sure if you are when you wear Amouage scents.

I know a lot of poor people that live well beyond their means and own BMWs and Benzes. You should reconsider you standard to Rolls Royce and Bentleys which I hear come with complementary Amouage air-fresheners.

On Topic: By Kilian offers refills and they are a luxury brand. I see no reason as to why Amouage would not....Granted if they did offer them I'd most likely choose them over a fancy bottle I don't need.

[Ekove]

I'm not rich, but I have a few Amouage scents. I do agree with SoS, I prefer one good scent to several boring and useless ones. One spray of Amouage = 3 or 4 other scents spray. So you still think Amouage is expensive???

Amouage is just a bottle, not a car :-)) I will tell you that you are rich, if you have a Mercedes. But I"m not so sure if you are when you wear Amouage scents.

Keep in mind that most people would understanding saving up for a Mercedes, but few would understand why someone would buy a $300 perfume.

[Daryl J.]

Keep in mind that most people would understanding saving up for a Mercedes, but few would understand why someone would buy a $300 perfume.

People are funny aren't they. After having driven my fair share of S-600 M-B's (3), I have to say one bottle of Amouage offers far more pleasure. And as plain as the men's bottles are now, a refillable one does not interest me in the slightest. Even if it were refillable, I'd pitch it. My Reflection Man lid is tarnishing and it's about 3 months old is all.
SoS strategy is a brilliant one, btw.

[musclegod007]

Memoir Man is full bottle worthy, easier to wear, not so heavy on the oriental theme.
The newer Amouage scents XXV and up, are more modern, really enjoyable to wear, however, I have a bottle of Gold eau de parfum that's half full, and 17 years old, I only wear it christmas eve, it's phenomenal.