A customer cannot smell a fragrance through a screen. Yet more and more fragrance is discovered, compared and bought online. The digital experience has to replace the counter, the blotter and the advice of a sales associate. A few principles help.
Translate smell into words people understand
Many customers do not know what a chypre or a fougère is. Describe a fragrance with familiar images and clear notes, then add the technical family for those who look for it. A consistent vocabulary across the range lets customers compare.
Show the structure, not only the list of notes
A list of fifteen ingredients tells the customer very little. Showing the top, heart and base, and which notes dominate, gives a clearer picture of how the fragrance will evolve.
Help people choose by comparison
Customers often start from what they already like. Guidance such as "if you enjoy fresh citrus fragrances", or a short guided questionnaire, can narrow a range quickly, as long as it stays honest about the result.
Make trying easy
Samples and discovery sets reduce the risk of buying a full bottle blind. Make them easy to find, and make it clear how they relate to the full sizes.
Answer the practical questions
Concentration, size, how long the fragrance lasts, how strong its trail is, ingredients and allergens, delivery and returns: every missing answer is a reason to leave the page.
Keep the luxury in the details
Pace, typography, photography and the quality of the writing communicate the brand before a word is read. A luxury fragrance page should feel as considered as the bottle.
These are the principles we apply when we design websites and digital journeys for fragrance and luxury brands, with our UX/UI partners.