Review on "Parfam" Exhibition

The perfume exhibition was a flop for myself. Not only that it was much smaller than advertised, it was also determinated for consumer not for trader.  It was promoted as the largest perfume exhibition in the region but actually there were about 20 exhibitors and the ones I most wished to visit did not even exhibit like Arabian Oud, Al Qurashi, Areej, Syed Junaid.
It was not well visited!

The stuff at the stands were sales assistances from the local perfumeries and since I came as a trader that was not adequat.


But the worst of all things was that I could not find any agreement with the suppliers concerning the prices. I was really shocked that in this business at this side of the world there are no wholesale prices like it is everywhere when you purchase at a manufacturer! They all offer the retail price with quantity discounts which are not higher than 10% generelly. This would mean that I would have to sell the same perfumes for an almost double price :-SSSS due to all costs which I would have as Germany is one of the countries with the highest taxes.
So my business plans are completely damped......

The arabian  perfume business is completely different in handling than the western. The difference is that the western perfume manufacturers don't sell their perfume in own shops but on wholesalers who sell it to the perfume shops. The arabian manufacturers produce and sell their own perfume only in their own shops. Maybe the rating spreads are not calculated high enough to sell it on wholesale prices but I don't think so.
It should have make me suspicious that there are barely online perfumeries with arabian perfumes.

Though here a view impressions:

Parfam - Expo Centre Sharjah

So gladly as I write about perfumes somehow I did not found the right motivation last weeks. It is all about my plans about visiting the perfume exhibition in Sharjah. And as gladly I am writing about all the perfumes I can't await to start writing about MY perfumes. The perfumes I will offer...
And I am so curios and excited what and how much I will find there as the number of perfume manufacturers who will exhibit is over 100!
Parfam is the region's largest show for the perfume industry (for all details click on the title).

The exhibition will be on March 1st-5th in Sharjah at the Expo Centre. It will be open for anyone so if you are in the UAE at that time take a sight. Except the consumer fair there will also take place The Perfect Wedding Show.

Enthusiasm vs. deadlock & desperation PART II

It can change so quickly the enthusiasm-thing ;-DD

It is really amazing shortly after my last post, I have got an email of one of the perfume companies I've inquired! It was a misunderstanding: They answered my email but I never received it! And they resent their mail once again today and asked if I've got it.
I guess there is something wrong with my email account, because I did not get it. My spam inbox I am also checking daily, so I really don't have an idea whats wrong with it ;-SSS
Due to this misunderstanding it is in all probability that the other companies had the same problem. I will call them inshaallah to check out if they got it!
So maybe it is not all lost!!! And I have to revise my allegation against the arab companies!!!!!
ALL WILL BE WELL INSHAALLAH!!!

And many thanks goes to lovely Blue Pearl who immediatelly went in action to help me! Love you <3

So my lovely followers, stay tuned, I will report the upcoming news ;-D

Enthusiasm vs. deadlock and desperation

Right now I am at one point where my enthusiasm is changing in a deadlock and almost deperation concerning my business plans.

I made a whole concept from a logo to a operating system and everything else. But still the most important things I need are not fullfilled!
I still don't have a product-line and I still don't have serious suppliers.

It is really strange and it makes me mad that no one of the big suppliers (Ajmal, Al Haramain, Swiss Arabian etc.) whom I emailed have even answered my emails not to mention they haven't replied my inquires...Aren't they in need of new customers :-SSSSS
The wholesaler are giving me purchase prices which aren't acceptable in any way if I want to make any profit. The prices are about the prices which you have in retail! Where is the logic here???

I already made a sample order at one wholesaler but it is far not enough to create a product line for my shop! So I would have to order more and more and test more and more! But this way is very expensive and the problem of finding the right supplier still remains!

With a heavy heart I made the decision that I make a deadlock for my search untill March 2011. Then there will be a perfume trade in Sharjah and inshaallah I am assuming that there I can solve both of my problems.

In the meantime I will concentrate on market researches and educating myself more in perfumery stuff and sales policy.

Though I know that a trade fair is necessery I never thougt that I won't be able via internet to make my first contacts.
I don't know if it is a mentality problem of the Arabs, not to answer and to show so little interest in new customers but it looks like that. Nevertheless my passion for everything arabic still remains ;-D

From my experiences in Germany I know that these kind of behaviour is not acceptable in business and I never made those experiencess in my career!

The idea

So here I wanna tell you how I came up with the idea for this blog. A few weeks ago I made a desicion for my professional future plans. Due to my passion for everything arabic and as a perfume addict I came up with the idea to start a business here in Germany with arabian perfume.
And in fact everything started with my last holidays in Abu Dhabi where I even more got in love with the arabic world. There for the first time I learned to knew about the fabulous scents of Arabia. It was so magical and inspiring. Due to my personal situation where I was looking for a new professional challenge the idea came seemingly on its own.
In my other private blog which is about everything and nothing about me last posts were almost about the perfumes and business plans as it is my biggest occupation at this point in time. So I decided to create this special blog which will be all about my current issues on perfume and business.

So to give you an update at wich point I am currently. I collected all informations which were necessary, made a business plan, ordered the very first samples, arranged my new office....The two most important things I have to decide or find are: my product line and good suppliers.

As for the product line: I want to offer typical arabian perfume from high quality like brands of Ajmal, Arabian Oud, Al Haramain etc. As I ordered the samples I could only choose by description and ordered almost every perfume with high concentrated oudh! I was very surprised how heavy they are and considering the cultural aspect and the different tastes of perfumes in the western world I have to admit that I failed. I have to make a second sample order with much lighter scents, which are still arabic but not too heavy for the western people. So it will take more time than I planned to be able to create a adequate product line.

As for the supplier: it seems to be a serious problem to find adequate suppliers from this position via internet. Anyway I planned to visit a perfume trade fair in the middle east but the next one will not start untill March 2011. And for me it is toooooo long to wait.....

So if anyone is in this business at the best from the middle east, or anyone has helpfull ideas, suggestions or whatever, do not hesitate to contact me....