During an interview with Internet Retailing, Gill Smith, managing director of The Perfume Shop revealed that the beauty retailer will introduce automated packing technology to prepare for online order demand.
“This year, alongside our website replatform, in time for golden quarter we are also installing an automated packing machine to increase our online fulfilment capacity,” explained Smith.
The perfume seller has seen a growth in online traffic, and predicts further increases this year.
“We expect our e-store to deliver around 28% of our sales this year with growth vs last year if the retail industry is not hit by delivery strikes, which impacted customer confidence with online shopping last year.”
Smith also stressed that The Perfume Shop is working to be a sustainable omni-channel retailer: “Our customers are expecting us to do this, and if we aren’t they will shop elsewhere. Without customers, there is no business, so we have to find the ways to do it, whether choosing 100% renewable energy, partnerships with suppliers, reducing packaging or developing a green store.”
Packaging for its online deliveries is made from 80% post-consumer waste and is 100% recyclable. Its own brand ranges, The Perfume Edit and ME, have been created using 100% recyclable packaging and uses only vegan ingredients, are cruelty free and genderless.
Furthermore, The Perfume Shop was the first retailer to introduce the Thierry Mugler refillable bottle and continues to work with suppliers to offer customers sustainable solutions.
It also aims to reduce waste and the size of its carbon footprint. Last year it recycled 80.3% of waste from the distribution centre, with a target of 83%.
In 2019, the retailer streamlined its deliveries, using 61,000 less litres of diesel compared with previous years. It added that it will continue to work with a national fleet partner to reduce their mileage and emissions.
The stores continue to move towards operating digitally including customer facing screens and app-based task management for colleagues. The shops are powered by 100% zero carbon electricity, generated wind, solar and hydro.
The Perfume Shop features in the 2023 Europe Top1000 and UK Top500 reports.
