Buyers reporting increase in holiday fragrance sales

Drug Store News, Feb 6, 1989 by Elizabeth Parks

Buyers reporting increase in holiday fragrance sales

Chain drug fragrance buyers are reporting that overall fragrance sales were pretty good this past Christmas. Most buyers say sales were up about 5 percent, and a few say sales were even stronger.

Among this year's new launches, most buyers say that Hero in men's and Ex Cla Mation in women's fragrances were their strongest sellers. Sante Fe, Trouble, and Glorious, which was in wider distribution this Christmas, were generally rated good to superior.

Number one seller

At Meijer Thrifty Acres, a discounter-combination store chain headquarted in Grand Rapids, Michigan, sources reported that Hero was their "number one selling fragrance" this Christmas.

Sources for Walgreen's, Revco, Reed Drug, Eckerd, Phar-Mor, Austin, Bartell Drug and Drug Emporium reported doing exceptionally well with Hero.

What's hot in fragrances

Most chains said their prestige fragrances did well this year, but alternative designer fragrance (ADF) sales were "not exciting." Most buyers reported that they bought ADFs "conservatively" this year, and sellthroughs justified that strategy. The Primo brand, however, was still an exception to flattening sales in the ADF category. Most buyers interviewed said Primo continued to do well in their stores.

Several sources said the new daytime teen fragrance, Tres L.A., did well at Christmas, and one source said she was "very surprised" by how strong the response was to Tres L.A. in some of her stores.

In mass prestige, Lady Stetson, Vanderbilt and Xi'a Xi'ang did well in most chains. Sand & Sable was rated "excellent" by many chains. Wind Song was reported as strong, as was Enjoli.

Stetson and Chaps did well among the established men's fragrances. Old Spice was strong, and English Leather was generally reported as good.

Accessories sales good

Buyers said bath sets and stocking stuffers moved well this year. Some chains reported strong sales of gift sets, while others said basic stock sold better than gift sets. Scented candles and other types of seasonal accessories also did well.

In cosmetics, eye shadow kits sold exceptionally well this past season, especially those made by Revlon, Cover Girl and Maybelline.

Buyers said lipsticks and nail products, treatments as well as color, did well with Revlon's color reported as particularly strong.

Sally Hansen's line was very good, according to most sources, so was Cutex's Strong Nails and Lee's Sculptured Nails and Press Ons.

Delore, Orly, Nailene, and La Salle were also mentioned as very strong in the treatment category.

Skin treatment sales up

Skin treatment sales were also good, especially in the weeks right after Christmas when many lines were on sale or available in bonus packs. Most chains reported that Almay, European Collagen, Eterna, Moondrops and Max Factor's treatments were particularly good. In mass skin care, sales were particularly strong for Olay, Jergens, Neutrogena, Nivea and Vaseline Intensive Care.

Many sources say that the new VIS Hand and Nail Lotion is selling "like gangbusters."

L'Oreal's new Le Plentitude skin care line is only just reaching the stores now, but several clerks who have the line in some Georgia-based stores reported good "trial purchases" and the expectation is that it may do very well, especially once advertising breaks.