Sephora’s success was not foretold. Indeed, a 1998 New York Times article posed these questions about the store-in-process: “Will women buy as many products if they are not heavily pushed by sales clerks? Will customers appreciate the freedom to wander and try things out at whim?”
The answers, of course, were yes and yes.
— Read more in Opinion: Shopping for perfume is returning to its roots at CNN.
I couldn’t help wondering what Frederic Malle would say about this. I read that he thought the Sephora model cheapened the experience in various ways.
Not sure what he had in mind was locking up the perfume in a Sephora, as opposed to having it presented in a fancy department store.
I really enjoy visiting Sephora when I am in the US. There used to be a few shops here in the UK in various places – I remember one in Islington, London many years ago – but I see now there are just two, each in a Westfield mega-mall in London. Next time we visit friends in Oak Ridge North, Texas I will pop by the shop in their local mall for sure.
Honestly, having the perfume locked up makes zero difference to me so long as the testers are still out.
Agree. At first I was afraid they’d lock them up, too.