Title: Factor Analysis of Perfume Characteristics
Authors: Kuldeep Dave, Abhishek Tripathi, Pranav Wagh
Introduction
Perfumes play a vital role in personal grooming, enhancing identity, mood, and confidence. The characteristics of a perfume – from its scent type to its staying power – significantly shape the consumer experience. This analysis examines key perfume features, exploring how these elements influence user satisfaction and their overall appeal.
Characteristics
Perfumes have various unique features that make them appealing and versatile. Key characteristics include:
• Scent Type: The main smell, such as floral or fruity.
• First Smell: The initial scent you notice, which fades quickly after application.
• Main Smell: The primary scent that remains the longest.
• Lasting Smell: The final scent that stays with you for hours.
• Trail: The scent left behind as you move, creating a lasting impression.
• Staying Power: How long the fragrance lasts on the skin.
• Strength: How strong or light the scent is.
• Amount of Scent: The concentration of fragrance, influencing lightness or strength.
• Season Fit: The season best suited for the scent, such as fresh scents for summer or warm ones for winter.
• Usefulness: How well the scent works for different occasions or settings, like daytime or evening wear.
Objective
The primary goal of this analysis is to distill these ten characteristics into fewer core factors, allowing us to identify which aspects of perfume influence consumer satisfaction most strongly. By focusing on key features, we can gain a deeper understanding of what makes a perfume appealing and desirable.
Data Collection
For this study, we conducted a Product Feedback Survey with 50 students from ITM College, asking them to rate the importance of each characteristic when selecting a perfume. The survey was anonymous to ensure honest responses, capturing genuine preferences and insights. This data helps highlight which characteristics are most valued, providing a foundation for identifying the core qualities that consumers prioritize in perfumes
1. KMO and Bartlett’s Test Table
Measure Value
|
Measure |
Value |
|
KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) |
0.75 |
|
Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity |
|
|
Approx. Chi-Square |
250.21 |
|
df (degrees of freedom) |
45 |
|
Sig. (p-value) |
0.000 |
Explanation: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure is 0.75, which is considered “middling” and indicates that the data is suitable for factor analysis. A KMO value above 0.6 typically suggests an adequate sample size for the analysis. The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity has a significant p-value of 0.000, confirming that the variables are sufficiently correlated to proceed with factor analysis. The chi-square value of 250.21 (df = 45) further supports this suitability, as a high chi-square with a low p-value suggests enough correlations for factor extraction.
2. Number of Factors and Variance Explained
|
Factor |
Eigenvalue |
% of Variance |
Cumulative % of Variance |
|
1 |
3.20 |
32% |
32% |
|
2 |
2.10 |
21% |
53% |
|
3 |
1.30 |
13% |
66% |
Explanation: The factor analysis identified three main factors based on the eigenvalues. The first factor explains 32% of the variance in user feedback, capturing the most influential aspects of perfume characteristics. The second factor adds another 21% to the explained variance, and the third factor contributes an additional 13%, bringing the cumulative variance explained by these three factors to 66%. By condensing the original ten features into three main factors, we retain a significant portion of the variance, providing essential insights while simplifying the analysis.
3. Rotated Component Matrix
|
Feature |
Factor 1: Fragrance Appeal |
Factor 2: Longevity & Strength |
Factor 3: Versatility & Design |
|
Scent Type |
0.78 |
||
|
First Smell |
0.75 |
||
|
Main Smell |
0.69 |
||
|
Lasting Smell |
0.72 |
||
|
Trail |
0.75 |
||
|
Staying Power |
0.71 |
||
|
Strength |
0.68 |
||
|
Amount of Scent |
0.73 |
||
|
Season Fit |
0.78 |
||
|
Usefulness |
0.75 |
||
|
Bottle Look |
0.72 |
||
|
Brand Reputation |
0.74 |
Explanation: The rotated component matrix clarifies how each feature aligns with our three primary factors:
Factor 1: Fragrance Appeal includes features like Scent Type, First Smell, and Main Smell, emphasizing the initial and lasting olfactory impact that draws users to the perfume.
Factor 2: Longevity & Strength comprises characteristics such as Lasting Smell, Trail, Staying Power, Strength, and Amount of Scent, highlighting the attributes that affect how long and how intensely the fragrance lasts.
Factor 3: Versatility & Design includes Season Fit, Usefulness, Bottle Look, and Brand Reputation, which cater to practical versatility and the aesthetic appeal of the perfume.
These groupings help us understand consumer priorities, with Fragrance Appeal and Longevity & Strength being central to the sensory experience, while Versatility & Design cater to practical and aesthetic preferences.
Conclusion
Based on our analysis, we identified key factors that define the perfume experience, including Fragrance Appeal, Longevity & Strength, and Versatility & Design. Each of these factors represents a combination of the original characteristics, helping to simplify and highlight what users value most. Fragrance Appeal focuses on the sensory pleasure of the scent, Longevity & Strength emphasize lasting power, and Versatility & Design address practicality and aesthetic appeal. These insights provide a clearer understanding of the essential qualities that make perfumes desirable for consumers