The Fragrance Shop has enjoyed a bumper Christmas after gift sets and celebrity-endorsed luxury scents drove a rise in like-for-like sales during the crucial trading period.
The fragrance retailer said among its best-selling scents were Emporio Armani’s Stronger With You, Natalie Portman-endorsed Miss Dior and Gabrielle, Chanel’s first new fragrance in 15 years that featured Kristen Stewart in its adverts.
As a result, like-for-like sales in the six weeks to December 31 rose by 5.6 per cent, underpinned by strong online growth of 30 per cent.
Overall, total sales grew by 14.6 per cent.
The retailer said it sold almost 100,000 bottles of fragrance on December 23 alone – its busiest ever trading day.
The results were also boosted by customers’ preference for gift sets, strong sales of larger bottle sizes and the popularity of fragrances from fashion houses such as Jean Paul Gaultier.
“There is no sign of luxury fragrances falling out of consumer favour as a great festive gift,” The Fragrance Shop chief executive Sanjay Vadera said.
“Fragrances are intensely personal and the popularity of scents like Chanel Gabrielle and Miss Dior suggests people feel a connection to the brands behind them.
“The feedback we receive shows our customers value our approach that combines competitive prices with tailored advice on choosing the right fragrance, whether as a gift or as a treat for themselves.”
The Fragrance Shop, which operates 214 stores across the UK, now plans to open 20 new stores during 2018.
“The wider market is growing and there is strong demand for our unique proposition within it,” Vadera said.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
