Would you buy a high end car fragrance?
Discussion
Timbergiant said:
If my car is smelly I just open the windows for a bit, give it a Hoover, give the leather a clean and that's the smell that lingers, make an airborne liquid leather and it's a winner.
They already do & it's been posted in this very thread.Edited by Timbergiant on Wednesday 20th April 13:15
I haven't bought a car airfreshener in years, but instead I use a similar method not unlike the OP has proposed.
When I need a new aftershave, or want to buy a fragrance for my wife (can't believe I just said "fragrance"
), or need a car airfreshener, I head to the likes of Debenhams/House of Fraser/ duty free at airport etc. and take a stack of those wee sample strips and load them up with the various fragrances
The strips are then left in a coat or trouser pocket until I get back to the car, whereby I leave them about the place to do their job. Some of the composite smells are really good.
Another top tip is if you are feeling a little wiffy afer a long day of travelling, hit the aftershave isles of the Duty Free shops and treat yourself to an "Irishman's shower".
When I need a new aftershave, or want to buy a fragrance for my wife (can't believe I just said "fragrance"
), or need a car airfreshener, I head to the likes of Debenhams/House of Fraser/ duty free at airport etc. and take a stack of those wee sample strips and load them up with the various fragrances The strips are then left in a coat or trouser pocket until I get back to the car, whereby I leave them about the place to do their job. Some of the composite smells are really good.
Another top tip is if you are feeling a little wiffy afer a long day of travelling, hit the aftershave isles of the Duty Free shops and treat yourself to an "Irishman's shower".
I'm struggling a bit with this as it really ain't my sort of thing, but I can imagine there is a market for it.
There's certainly pleasure in smelling wood, leather,beeswax etc, but surely that's 99.9% because you're actually smelling real wood and leather? I.e. the car smells that way because it's made of really high end materials, hand crafted, etc. If you knew the smell had actually come out of a bottle, it'd be inauthentic and spoil the effect completely.
However a nice honk from a high end brand might well sell. My wife squirts some oriental spice pongo onto the curtains every now and then. God knows what it cost. It does give the room a nice smell and it doesn't make my eyes water. I can imagine something similar might work in a car if the purchaser wants to make that space more personal, more homey.
Is there anyway you could license an established high end brand? Imagine if you could sell it as JP Gautier, or Liberty or something that people associate with interior design or pongo. Perhaps avoid the Diesel brand.
There's certainly pleasure in smelling wood, leather,beeswax etc, but surely that's 99.9% because you're actually smelling real wood and leather? I.e. the car smells that way because it's made of really high end materials, hand crafted, etc. If you knew the smell had actually come out of a bottle, it'd be inauthentic and spoil the effect completely.
However a nice honk from a high end brand might well sell. My wife squirts some oriental spice pongo onto the curtains every now and then. God knows what it cost. It does give the room a nice smell and it doesn't make my eyes water. I can imagine something similar might work in a car if the purchaser wants to make that space more personal, more homey.
Is there anyway you could license an established high end brand? Imagine if you could sell it as JP Gautier, or Liberty or something that people associate with interior design or pongo. Perhaps avoid the Diesel brand.
Dave_ST220 said:
Is this for real? Can't see it selling at all. Sorry.
Mercedes-Benz already offer an Air Balance package for £350.http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Mercedes-Benz-Pres...
We haven't sold any yet, even to customers who spec the Swarovski crystalled headlamps in their new S coupes...
My Saab estate is used daily, it should smell of tobacco smoke, damp dogs & fishing tackle. I don't really want it to smell of Katie Price's cleavage either so I use this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Autoglym-AG-205008-500ml-...
1 bottle lasts 12 months for my needs, job done
I hope you find a suitable outlet for your product OP & I wish you well. I do think it will only appeal to a 'niche' market though...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Autoglym-AG-205008-500ml-...
1 bottle lasts 12 months for my needs, job done
I hope you find a suitable outlet for your product OP & I wish you well. I do think it will only appeal to a 'niche' market though...
I picked up one of these and a million refills of various different scents last time I was in the states, over a year ago... I still have 999,999 sitting in a drawer because it is basically infinite. And some of the scents are very nice (others are silly).
It's discrete, adjustable output, lasts forever and costs very little.
I don't see how you could achieve something better TBH, just introduce the same thing to the UK.
It's discrete, adjustable output, lasts forever and costs very little.
I don't see how you could achieve something better TBH, just introduce the same thing to the UK.
Edited by bigbob77 on Wednesday 20th April 14:41
I'd buy it, the only thing that would put me off is giving up a cup holder.
For my house's AC system we buy these little scent pouches that go on the filter so my whole house smells like whatever the missus decides on that month, I've thought about sticking one in the cabin air filter on my truck.
Also, I used to stick those poppy coral air fresheners under the seat a few years back, they still diffused plenty of scent into the car.
Anyway, yes I'd buy one if you could find a better place for it to live.
For my house's AC system we buy these little scent pouches that go on the filter so my whole house smells like whatever the missus decides on that month, I've thought about sticking one in the cabin air filter on my truck.
Also, I used to stick those poppy coral air fresheners under the seat a few years back, they still diffused plenty of scent into the car.
Anyway, yes I'd buy one if you could find a better place for it to live.
I'm not sure of this. It is a saturated market already and although you would invariably sell some I am not sure that you would sell enough with your current strategy.
Let's say you get it into dealerships as a cheaper version of what is already available and let's assume that the marketing department don't take your idea and just copy it before it gets to market.
They will want a mark up (I would suggest 100%) so your £12 bottle is now £6. Your costs are what? £2 including packaging? So that leaves £4 mett profit before packaging and shipping costs. How much do you aim to make a month? Let's make it easy and say £8000 nett.
The question is - will you sell 2,000 bottles a month?
I really can't see it. Most people don't have an air freshener in their cars. Most people would never dream of spending £10-£15 on an air freshener. Even less people will want it smelling like a nightclub full of men trying to pull on a friday. I have a bottle of AutoGlym airfresh and it has lasted years because I rarely use it - by keeping it clean it doesn't smell.
However
I would be looking at export markets. Growth areas like India, China etc. Make something that is ostentatiously british because that has a market. Make it cheap enough for the new middle classes and ensure the scent runs out after two months for repeat business but still aspirational. Forget the cup holder idea - that is frankly crap.
The developing markets are where you could make seriously good money if you do it right imo.
And yes I am available to hire
Let's say you get it into dealerships as a cheaper version of what is already available and let's assume that the marketing department don't take your idea and just copy it before it gets to market.
They will want a mark up (I would suggest 100%) so your £12 bottle is now £6. Your costs are what? £2 including packaging? So that leaves £4 mett profit before packaging and shipping costs. How much do you aim to make a month? Let's make it easy and say £8000 nett.
The question is - will you sell 2,000 bottles a month?
I really can't see it. Most people don't have an air freshener in their cars. Most people would never dream of spending £10-£15 on an air freshener. Even less people will want it smelling like a nightclub full of men trying to pull on a friday. I have a bottle of AutoGlym airfresh and it has lasted years because I rarely use it - by keeping it clean it doesn't smell.
However
I would be looking at export markets. Growth areas like India, China etc. Make something that is ostentatiously british because that has a market. Make it cheap enough for the new middle classes and ensure the scent runs out after two months for repeat business but still aspirational. Forget the cup holder idea - that is frankly crap.
The developing markets are where you could make seriously good money if you do it right imo.
And yes I am available to hire
INWB said:
I would be looking at export markets. Growth areas like India, China etc. Make something that is ostentatiously british because that has a market. Make it cheap enough for the new middle classes and ensure the scent runs out after two months for repeat business but still aspirational. Forget the cup holder idea - that is frankly crap.
Great idea. Even more lucrative might be selling custom fragrances to remind the various migrants to our shores of their homeland. For people from the Asian subcontinent, you could have the smell of open sewer with a hint of steaming holy cow dung. For West Africans it could be cesspool with a subtle tone of three day's dead dog. For people from the former eastern bloc countries it could be a blend of the smell of pissy trackpants, ancient PVC "leather" jacket, and alchohol. For British folk abroad the smell of a pissed on wall drying in the sun would be perfect!
Personally no, but that's because just about every car scent I've ever encountered makes me want to hurl - I've only littered once in 20 years of driving and it was a Magic Tree that had me literally seconds from throwing up.
I think my question would be are you paying for the packaging or the contents?
If it's a "lifestyle" thing I wouldn't take General Gassing on PH as your target market.
I think my question would be are you paying for the packaging or the contents?
If it's a "lifestyle" thing I wouldn't take General Gassing on PH as your target market.
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