Wasn’t as bad as feared.
The feeling that is being projected in both the financial and beauty press is that Christmas wasn’t as bad as feared. But it was as price point slashing in the mass market that moved the glut of designer and celebrity fragrances. Shipments to department stores were down double-digit, so manufacturers were hoping that those lost sales were made up in diversion. They weren’t.
After the holidays, fragrance space in many department stores will be diminished because of lower sales. Secondly, price points will have to be re-set to match the economy. Yes, there are third, fourth and fifth points to make that will be covered in the next issue of The Informationist.