From Sensory Richness to Sensory Deprivation: How COVID-19 Reshaped Perfume Purchase Behaviour

Abstract

Introduction & Background
Perfume purchasing is a highly multisensory process, relying on olfactory, tactile and visual cues. Although online retail already restricts direct olfactory engagement, the COVID-19 pandemic heightened these constraints by temporarily removing in-store sampling and therefore limiting physical interaction with products. Despite the growing interest in sensory marketing, little is known about how consumers' real-world purchasing behaviour changes when key sensory inputs are restricted.

Objectives & Approach
This research examines how consumers’ perfume purchasing behaviour shifts in limited multisensory retail environments by adopting a sensory deprivation perspective. Specifically, it investigates whether there are changes in purchasing behaviour across pre-COVID, during-COVID and post-COVID periods, including potential shifts in reliance on brand, price, product descriptions and visual cues.

Relevance to Digital Footprints
This research contributes to digital footprint literature by showing how purchasing behaviour may change under sensory restrictions. By analysing behavioural patterns captured in large-scale transactional data alongside product-level sensory cues, the study explores whether consumers adapt their purchase decisions when direct sensory evaluation is restricted. Overall, the study highlights the value of digital footprint data in examining purchasing behaviour in sensory-restricted retail environments.

Conclusions & Implications
Conceptually, this study advances sensory marketing research by shifting the focus from sensory optimisation to sensory constraint, positioning sensory deprivation as a meaningful condition that shapes consumer behavioural patterns. Empirically, it offers preliminary insights into how consumers’ perfume purchasing behaviour may shift when multisensory access is disrupted. The research demonstrates how natural disruptions can be used to deepen understanding of consumer psychology in digital and physical retail marketplaces.