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Scents and Sensibility: A Perfumery Shop in New Beijing

Exploring the Swiss Perfumery Shop at The Place in Chaoyang District and getting to know its owner and business strategy is something like exploring and experiencing the three “notes” of a bottle of perfume.

Having arrived at the shop and after introducing myself, a beauty advisor showed me around this special shop. The first thing that impressed me was its ambience, highlighted by its magnificent pendant lamps and its harmonious use of colour that makes you feel as if you are in a private classical room, alone with a collection of colourful and fashionable perfumes and high-end skin care cosmetics from Switzerland and around the world. There are all kinds of nail polish that can be found in a room of their own, including brands and styles not found elsewhere in Beijing.

A favourite of the shop owner (more on him later) is a perfume called Amouage. Costing more than 2,000 yuan (US$261) per bottle, it is regarded as the most valuable perfume in the world. It contains more than 120 natural spices and comes in an Arabian-styled bottle decorated with silver and crystals.

The whole effect of the store and its owner makes you want to get to know its owner, Marcel Greenberg, and to ask him how and why he set up shop in Beijing.

It turns out that Mr. Greenberg is well-acquainted with the perfumery business, especially in Switzerland, where he was once a member of the Swiss Perfume Board.

“I’m not a person to wait things to happen; I like to make things happen. So after my retirement, I could think of no better place than China, Beijing! It is in its growing period and is a potential market for perfume; it’s full of challenges for me. I wanted to open a top private perfumery shop in Beijing.”

And he did in August 2006 at The Place, a new fashion centre in Beijing. Facing fierce competition from big shopping malls in the CBD, Greenberg expressed confidence: “One counter has only one brand, and the strong light in shopping malls make me feel sick, like staying in a hospital. The shopping experience is boring, not enjoyable, but a private perfumery shop is totally different. We have many brands, not just one or two, and our service is personalized.”

Since the shop has been open, Greenberg and shop assistants have adopted flexible marketing ideas unlike that of shopping malls and their products exhibitions. Instead, the shop has engaged in cooperative ventures with high-level clubs and in sponsoring the launch of very big events such as some Latin dance competitions, all to bring attention to the shop and its perfumes.

Greenberg is relishing his opportunity to start a new career in a new country, backed with experience in the perfume industry that allows him to understand what his shop needs and how to attract customers.

“Customers always wonder which perfume is the most suitable one and our assistants needed to learn this; every day we are learning. After we decide to introduce a perfume, our beauty advisors will be sent to the suppliers’ and they will learn more about a perfume, its background, its contents and its scent, among the many other things related to the quality of a perfume. Every week, they have a small discussion to review their basic knowledge about the perfume, that is, each of them is a perfume expert. Our beauty advisor can speak beautiful English, and that is another advantage,” said Greenberg. He added that this does not mean he is unapproachable.

“We are a big family, and everyone is member of it.”

The shop will serve and appeal to you, even if you don’t make a purchase.

“If you want to win the customers’ respect, you should respect them first. In principle, I am customer-oriented,” said Greenberg. The beauty advisor will help customers select two or three perfumes that suit them, basing judgements on the personalities and careers of the customers and where the perfumes will be worn. Some customers like luxury and enjoy, while some are young and on tight budgets so the store offers fine perfumes for as low as 300 yuan (US$39) per bottle.

“Perfume is magic, and is not limited to luxury products,” Greenberg said, “and I hope everyone can enjoy it.”