The expert was skeptical about the parallel import of perfumes: “They will sell Chanel to grandmothers”

Alternative channels for the supply of imported perfumes are not so ideal

Every month, Russian women remember the meaning of the verb “get” better in relation to the usual cosmetics and perfumes – goods of familiar foreign brands disappear before their eyes. There are fewer and fewer bottles left on store shelves, and it’s time to look for alternative ways to buy lipstick or perfume. Popular courier services come to the rescue – they are ready to organize their own delivery from the European Union (most often from Poland, which is closest to us) or America. True, there is a nuance: not everything will be brought, but only the “most demanded positions” – and it’s not a fact that your favorite is among them.

“That’s no problem at all! If someone wants to buy something, they can do it!” proponents of the “nothing terrible is happening” proponents exclaim with fervor when they are told about interruptions in the delivery of imported goods. The owners of intermediary sites are in a hurry to take their position – most transport companies have long been accustomed to organizing the delivery of goods. It seems that the craftsmen are ready to bring everything-everything-everything for the client! Is it so?

Let’s take a look at one of these intermediary sites and examine the assortment of one of the most famous brands – Chanel (it seems that this is already a household name). At first glance – here it is, abundance: at least 100 commodity items! Let’s start browsing: yes, there are world-famous and already recognized classics Chanel No. 5, Chanel Chance or Allure. The prices, by the way, are normal: about 9,000 rubles for a bottle of Chanel No. 5 is no longer considered too expensive. There are a little less well-known in wide circles “Gabriel” and “Chanel No. 19” and … that’s all. Where are Lyon, Sycamore and a dozen more fragrances from the boutique line, connoisseurs and connoisseurs of perfumery will ask in bewilderment? Where are the six fragrances from the so-called travel collection? Where, after all, is the famous No. 5, but in different concentrations – eau de toilette, eau de parfum, perfume?

But there is nothing like it. Intermediaries, of course, are ready to bring you Chanel, but it will be strictly the Chanel that is recognized as the leader in sales and chosen by them for you. No “I want to smell, not like everyone else!”.

Exactly the same alignment – in the assortment of the “honorary second” in the French hierarchy of Dior’s fashion houses. Everything is the same – please order Zhador, Miss Dior, lily-of-the-valley Diorissimo or Savage men’s cologne for health … but something less pop – alas, no. Why keep perfumes in the delivery range that one woman in a hundred wants? It is much more reliable to transport Zhador across the border, which every third will definitely buy!

“From a marketing point of view, this approach is absolutely justified,” says beauty blogger Tatyana Luss in a conversation with an MK correspondent. – Indeed, there are commodity items that are bought 10 times more often, because time and a name work for them. Another question is that today the loyal audience of brands does not take these positions at all, because they follow the latest news and trends. And these women will not find any new products or trends among the offers of intermediaries. And they will go somewhere else. These will sell Chanel No. 5 to grandmothers, what else? The expert is skeptical.

However, the option of an individual order – according to your preferences! – still remains. As Igor T., an employee of a large transport company, explained in a conversation with an MK correspondent, there is a long-established option – the client places an order on the website of a foreign online store and indicates the address of the warehouse in the country where the store is located as the delivery point. Then he transfers all checks to the transport company and waits for delivery.

“We used this scenario long before 2022. Not all brands worked with Russia, some brands never entered our market. Those who want to buy something in a French or American store have such an opportunity. However, today the attention of customs services to parcels to Russia has become much closer, so many nuances must be taken into account. For example, it is forbidden to import things worth more than 300 euros into Russia, so you should not count on a chance, even if the parcel goes through third countries: most likely it will not work, the customs will simply deploy it, the specialist explains.

So the other option that remains as the most universal is to ask someone who travels abroad to buy there and bring the desired imported goods. Therefore, centrally, they are ready to satisfy the desires of people, of course, but not on the scale that modern Russian women would like.