AP RESEARCH · DANUSH MURUGESAN

Perceived Quality

versus Actual Quality

in Fragrances

Background & Justification

Why does this research matter?

68%

of U.S. adults

wear fragrance

Wilson, 2018

+15%

annual price

increase per year

Kavianz/CNN, 2022

$74B

global fragrance

market size

Grand View, 2025

$2.71B

fragrance dupe

market value

ShelfTrend, 2025

THE RESEARCH GAP: No research study has actually tested the perceived quality and longevity of dupes versus designer fragrances, this study aims to close the gap by testing to see if dupes perform similar to designer fragrances.

Garvin's 8 Dimensions of Quality

Garvin, 1984

Performance

How long does the fragrance last?

Features

The top, middle, and base notes

3

Reliability

Consistency across repeated trials

4

Conformance

Meets the claims

5

Durability

How long the fragrance lasts on the shelf

1

Serviceability

Return experience, customer support

7

Aesthetics

Bottle design, packaging, visual appeal

8

Perceived Quality

What people think is the higher in quality

6

2

Research Question & Hypothesis

RESEARCH QUESTION

How do Garvin's dimensions of quality account for the higher perceived quality of branded fragrance companies relative to affordable dupe companies, and to what extent does this perceived quality reflect actual product quality?

HYPOTHESIS

If designer fragrances ask for premium prices due to a higher perceived “quality”, then the dupe fragrances will show a comparable actual performance through volatility, because they have similar top, middle, and base notes.

The Fragrances (Designer)

The Fragrances (Dupes)

Volatility

• The rate at which molecules turn into vapor. (Chemicool Dictionary 2020)

​

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Methodology & Experimental Design

Adapted from Vuilleumier et al. (1995) EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

FRAGRANCES TESTED

Lattafa Khamrah (Dupe)

Unisex

Dossier Aromatic Bergamot (Dupe)

Men

Azalia Blushing Sugar (Dupe)

Women

Killians Angel Share (Designer)

Unisex

YSL MYSLF (Designer)

Men

Killians Love Don't Be Shy (Designer)

Woman

PROCEDURE

Weigh each paper tester strip (initial baseline)

3

Pour fragrances into identical sample bottles

4

Spray fragrance onto labeled tester strip

5

Record post-spray mass immediately

6

Let strips sit in controlled environment

7

Record mass at Hours 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

8

Repeat all steps for 3 independent trials

1

2

1

Gather each of the materials

5 hours chosen due to most common length (Lomglassworks 2025)

Procedure Photos

Raw Data — Average Mass (g) Across 3 Trials

Computed: Cumulative Mass Lost (g) Over Time

Formula: Mass Lost = After Spray Mass − Mass at Hour N (avg across 3 trials)

Dupe group avg loss by Hr 5: 0.0097g

Designer group avg loss by Hr 5: 0.0075g

Figure 1 — Cumulative Mass Lost Over Time: All 6 Fragrances

Average across 3 trials (grams)

Figure 2 — Total Mass Lost by Hour 5 Per Fragrance

Green- Dupe | Brown- Designer

Statistical Analysis (t-Test) Performed

p > 0.05

NOT STATISTICALLY

SIGNIFICANT

α = 0.05

DUPE GROUP AVG LOSS

0.0097g

DESIGNER GROUP AVG LOSS

0.0075g

Mean difference = 0.0022g — no meaningful performance gap between groups

What does p > 0.05 mean?�p > 0..05 means that the difference in mass loss between dupe and designer fragrances is not statistically significant, and it could be due to change. We can’t reject the null hypothesis as there is no evidence that designer fragrances last measurably longer than dupes. ��

p-value= 0.308

Degrees of Freedom= 3.45

t-statistic=1.19

Garvin's Dimensions To Findings (pt 1)

Dimension 1: Performance

Both groups lost comparable mass over 5 hours (avg diff = 0.0022g, p > 0.05). Although dupes lost a tiny bit more mass, according to the statistical analysis this was not statistically significant.

EQUAL

Dimension 2: Features

The dupes and designer fragrances feature similar base notes: the dupes are made to replicate the smell through the notes.

EQUAL

Dimension 3: Reliability

All 3 fragrances were consistently tested 3 times, showing consistent results all 3 times.

EQUAL

Dimension 4: Conformance

Dupes: They state that they will last a similar amount of time to the designer fragrance, along with smelling identical.

Designer: The designer fragrances state that they are high in quality and will last a significant amount of time.

EQUAL

Part 2

Dimension 7: Aesthetics

The designer fragrances have significantly better aesthetics as they have higher end bottle designs and packaging

DESIGNER

Dimension 8: Perceived Quality

The long lasting legacy of fragrance brands provide a significantly higher perceived quality, making them seem a lot better compared to dupes. (Beverland, M. 2005)

DESIGNER

Dimension 5 and 6

Outside the scope of this study, these relate more to the company than the product itself.

Conclusions

The null hypothesis is rejected, as the P-Value is greater an 0.05, showing that it is not statistically significant.

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Limitations & Future Research Directions

Scale Precision

Sometimes the scale wasn’t fully precise, there were a few instances where the fragrance gained weight from the previous instance.

I would recommend using a scale that provides less anomalies, a more expensive and precise scale.

Paper Strips vs. Skin

Skin chemistry significantly affects fragrance diffusion (Vuilleumier et al., 1995).

While the strips test it on paper, it tests the actual fragrance, where as it can vary by each person’s skin. I would recommend to test on human subjects to see how it can vary through different skin chemistries.

Researcher Bias

As the researcher of this, I own the dupe company Azalia, meant to manufacture long lasting dupes that are comparable to designer fragrances. To mitigate this bias I incorporated multiple dupe companies rather than just mine. I would recommend using a lot more companies instead of just 3 to provide further applicability to all dupes.

5-Hour Test Window

Testing only to Hour 5 may not capture full evaporation differences between fragrances, returning back to the original weight of the paper. To mitigate this I would recommend doing multiple tests over a longer period of time, around 15 hours.

Implications

For Consumers

Meaningful for lower income consumers

For Quality Theory

Perceived quality can override objective performance in market value.

References

Vuilleumier, C., Flament, I., & Sauvegrain, P. (1995). Headspace analysis study of evaporation rate of perfume ingredients applied onto skin. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 17(2), 61–76.

Garvin, D. A. (1984). What does "product quality" really mean? Sloan Management Review, 26(1), 25–43.

Wilson, L. (2018, December 3). U.S. adults may seek fragrances to reclaim their youth. CivicScience. https://civicscience.com

CNN Business. (2022, March 5). Why perfume prices are surging. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/05/business/perfume-prices-surge

Ava Mayfair. (n.d.). What is a perfume dupe? https://avamayfair.com/what-is-a-perfume-dupe-fragrance-dupe/

ShelfTrend. (2025). Dupe fragrance marketplace analysis: Seller guide 2025. https://www.shelftrend.com

Grand View Research. (n.d.). Fragrances market size, share & trends analysis report. https://www.grandviewresearch.com

Beverland, M. (2005). Crafting brand authenticity: The case of luxury wines. Journal of Management Studies, 42(5), 1003–1029. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2005.00530.x

Chemicool. (2020). Volatile definition. https://www.chemicool.com/definition/volatile.html

Lom Glassworks. (2025, July 29). How long does perfume last? The complete guide. https://www.lomglassworks.com/how-long-does-perfume-last/

Questions?