Fragrance Retailer to Launch Perfumania.com

To take advantage of the potential for cross-marketing between its more than 290 retail stores and the Internet, Miami, Perfumania Inc. formed an Internet division and will open a Web store at www.perfumania.com.

The idea is to benefit from in-store promotions and at the same time drive customers to its retail shops, the company said.

"With over 4.5 million customers, annual sales of approximately $180 million and 15 million visitors to Perfumania stores every year, we believe we are perfectly positioned to cross-market and become the biggest discount retailer of perfumes on the Internet," said Ilia Lekach, Perfumania chairman and CEO.

"Our new Web site store will benefit from incentive commissions we intend to give our sales personnel for motivating in-store customers to shop at perfumania.com. In-store customers will also be handed scented bonus cards for special Web store promotions and discounts," Lekach said.

Target date for launch is Feb. 1, in time for Valentine's Day. The firm is presently building a special Web warehouse within its 140,000-square-foot facility in Miami, which will house the Web store infrastructure and inventory.