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The Perfume Shop Fashion Case Study Vision One

The Perfume Shop Shopper Study

The Challenge

The Perfume Shop is the third-largest fragrance retailer in the UK, with over 260 stores nationwide. In-store traffic counter data suggested that shopper conversion rates were not being maximised.

The challenge was to move beyond footfall metrics to understand who was visiting stores, how they behaved once inside, and what differentiated high-conversion stores from low-conversion ones. The business needed clear, actionable insight into shopper behaviour and decision drivers to identify where operational changes could meaningfully improve conversion across the store portfolio.

Retail market research agency - Vision One

Research Objectives

The research was designed to provide Allianz with The research was designed to diagnose the drivers of in-store conversion and identify opportunities for improvement. The key objectives were to:

  • Understand who was visiting Perfume Shop stores and their purchase intent
  • Identify behavioural differences between converters and non-converters
  • Compare high- and low-conversion stores to uncover operational drivers
  • Understand the role of staff interaction, browsing behaviour and decision triggers
  • Identify practical levers to improve in-store conversion and performance

Together, these objectives aimed to translate shopper insight into operational action at the store level.

Research Approach

Vision One conducted a large-scale exit interview programme across the UK. The approach included:

  • Exit interviews conducted with shoppers immediately after their store visit
  • Fieldwork across 15 Perfume Shop stores
  • Purposeful selection of stores to represent the full estate and key store segments
  • Collection of behavioural, attitudinal and contextual data
  • Comparison of findings across stores with different conversion performance

This approach enabled real-world insight into shopper behaviour at the point of decision.

Findings

The research revealed clear and consistent differences between high- and low-conversion stores. Certain customer types were significantly more likely to convert, and specific behaviours and in-store factors emerged as key drivers of purchase.

These included how shoppers engaged with staff, navigated the store and progressed through the decision journey. By comparing performance across different store types, the research isolated practical factors that influenced conversion, moving the conversation from footfall volume to quality of shopper experience and execution.

Action & Recommendations

The findings were used to set new, evidence-based in-store targets and inform operational changes across the estate. By focusing on the behaviours and conditions that drove conversion in high-performing stores, The Perfume Shop implemented targeted improvements to optimise the shopper experience and increase conversion rates at scale.

Shopper Insights Agency - Vision One
Kendra Furey, Head of Brands (Vision One)

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