Please Help !!!

[aurore]

Hello everyone !

I have already published a message because I needed some information for my education. 52 people read this message but I had no answer :cry: :sad: Information is quite hard to find and I think you are the best people to answer this! So if you have a little time, I just ask you to answer a few questions, it won't take you more than 2 minutes! I would be really grateful and you would be very helpful to me!

Thank you in advance !

Aurore

I joined a copy of the former message :

I am a French student (in a business school in Paris), and for my education, I am carrying out a survey for a fragrance and cosmetics company. The topic of the survey is "the business of cruise lines in fragrance and cosmetics in the United States". Information is quite hard to find (as this segment is very small and precise) and I would be grateful if you could give me some information about duty free shops (in cosmetics and fragrances) on board.

For example, the information I would need are :

Who are the distributors of fragrance and cosmetics ? What are the names of the shops ?

Which products and brand are sold? (if you have any catalogue or brochure) What are the best sellers ?

Which brands do you prefer to buy and which kind of product (75 ml, miniature, coffrets, skincare and so on..)

How are the shops ? Are the customers free in the shop ? How are the sales people? Are there a lot of incentives and promotions ?

What is the consumer's behavior motivation and profile?

Do you prefer to shop in the ports of call ?

I would like to get your personal impressions about that (and your shopping experience onboard) and any other information, which you consider could be helpful to me.

I thank you in advance and hope you will be able to help me,

Faithfully,

Aurore Kervoern

[GottaCruz]

I'm really sorry that I can't help you with this. When I cruise, I really don't have much interest in fragrances or cosmetics that I can purchase at home . Therefore, I have no idea who the distributors are, what brands are sold , or anything else. I really don't pay attention to the promotions, the behavior of the salespeople , etc. etc. etc. I have only bought, on occasion, Swarovski crystal and souvenir type items such as mugs or tee shirts to bring home as gifts. Sorry that I cannot help you. I didn't mean to ignore your previous post regarding this. I just didn't have the information you needed. I wish you the best of luck with your education and with this assignment. Perhaps someone else will be able to help you.

[aurore]

Even if you cannot answer to my questions I really thank you for having spent some time to read my message and to answer to it. When I said I had no answer on my last message, I just meant that I had no answer responding to my specific questions.

Anyway, thank you very much to have paid some attention to it ! Many people read my message but did not help my ! :cry: How poor am I!!! :wink: Just a joke !

Well I hope someone will be able to help me!!!!

Aurore

[michelleJ]

Hi Aurore,

Sorry I can't answer your questions either, I have never taken a cruise but will the end of May.

I will be glad to try and answer then if you still are working on the project.

Michelle

[aurore]

Thank you very much Michelle !

I will be working on this project until June. So I will be really happy if you will be able to give me some information when you will be back.

Have a nice cruise !

Aurore

[biodox]

I'm cruising the Enchantment of the Seas on April 26th (5-day W.Carib). My sister and I LOVE to shop and we plan on spa-ing it for a day on the ship. :cool:

I'll shoot you a note when we get back (first of May)... sounds like quite a unique survey you have - good luck! :smiley:

-Michele A.

[sailinglisa]

Aurore - I can answer a couple of your questions, but not all.

I do not know who distributs the feragrances.

I have seen Cacharel, Chanel, Givenchy, Ralph Lauren, Oscsar de la Renta, Estee Lauder, Liz Claiborne, etc.

I have only brought fragrance once on board - and that was Anais Anais by Cacherl...I hadn't been able to find it anywhere near to where I live for a few years.

Since the products are duty free, they are much cheaper on board the ship than back in the United States. I have only been in the shops a couple of times, but there was usually only one salesperson, and they didn't bother you unless you asked for help. There were testers out for you to sample.

The shops are small (space is limited in on a ship) and while I think the selection is good, it could be better - as could the make up selections offered (very limited!)

I will say that I am not a big shopper, so if it is convenient, I choose that over saving a couple of dollars (or francs) - I hate crowds so I try not to go to the big shopping malls, and I avoid the shops in ports if I can. So, I guess I prefer shopping on board compared to the ports, unless I am sure of what I am looking for and where to find it.

I hope this helps a little.

[aurore]

Thank you very much Michele and Lisa !

All the little information I can catch are helpul to me and help me to understand a bit better how consummer behave. In deed, I have never cruised, although I would love (and I will do it! ) that is why it is even harder for me. But thanks to you, I have new elements for my survey !

Have a good week end and a nice cruise !

Aurore

[jbond]

Strangely enough, I'm the one that buys 99% of all the perfume in our house. Not for me, for my wife. :grin:

We have never been impressed by the prices in the Caribbean, or on the ships. Duty Free has never impressed me as a reason to buy. Some small savings, maybe, but not enough to cause a major purchase.

We have bought perfume in St Thomas, St Maarten, Barbados, Martinique and Nassau.

We tended to buy brands that are not readily available/unavailable in California, but have found in recent years that was no longer a reason.

[dreamer]

Bonjour Aurore, We never buy the perfume on the ships as we are Canadians and we do not find the prices any good. The american dollar is as you know stronger than ours, so once we convert the cost , we find the perfume at home just as cheap!

I don't think you asked but when I buy perfume I buy Opium for the winter, and Chanel no. 5 for the summer.

Good luck on your project, I think you may have to contact the cruise line directly to get better answers!