A cross-cultural study of luxury perfume packaging design

Abstract

Packaging design not only elevates the position of a product, but also increases its sales volume. However, a design may be perceived differently among cultures. This study compares the perceptions of Thai and Malaysian consumers about the packaging design of a luxury perfume. The authors investigated nine pairs of packaging design elements and used a semantic differential questionnaire to determine the differences in the consumers' perceptions about luxury. The authors randomly selected a total of 194 Thai and Malaysian shoppers, asked them to respond to a set of nine questionnaires, and statistically analyzed their responses by using T-tests and multiple regression methods. The results found that Thai and Malaysian consumers perceived luxury differently for the following attributes: preciousness, quality, and uniqueness. From multiple regression analyses, the authors found that the predictors correlated highly with consumers' intentions to purchase the perfume. All attributes about perception had positive significant regression weight, indicating that consumers with a higher level of perception were more likely to make a purchase than ones with a lower level. The results will be used to formulate a preliminary design guideline for luxury products that may help increase the sales volume of Thai perfume in Asian markets.