Shopping has become faster, easier and more convenient than it used to be. A few taps on a phone can bring almost anything to the doorstep, often within days.

That kind of speed matters. So does variety. But convenience alone is no longer enough, especially in product categories where personal experience shapes the final decision.

Beauty and fragrance sit right in that space. People do not choose a perfume the same way they choose batteries. Scent is emotional. It is tied to memory, mood, skin chemistry and plain personal preference. A fragrance that smells refined on one person may feel too sharp or too sweet on someone else. That is why many shoppers want to test the fragrance first, even when they prefer buying online.

The challenge of buying sensory products online

Online retail does a lot well. It gives customers access to more brands, more price points and more reviews than most physical shops ever could. It also lets people take their time. They can read feedback, check ingredients and browse if they want to. Still, for sensory products, a screen can only take the customer so far.

A product page can describe a perfume as woody, powdery, smoky or fresh. It can list bergamot, jasmine, amber or musk. Reviews can help too. Yet none of that fully answers the real question in the buyer’s mind: will I actually like this on me?

That hesitation is understandable. Fragrance is not static. It changes after application. The opening can feel bright and appealing, while the dry-down tells a different story twenty minutes later. Skincare and makeup carry the same uncertainty. Texture, finish, comfort and wear time are personal. What feels light to one person may feel greasy to another. What looks natural in one room can look completely different in daylight.

In a physical store, people deal with this uncertainty casually. They spray a tester, walk around, come back, compare two options, ask a question, then decide. Online shopping removes that in-between stage. It often turns a gradual decision into an immediate one. For some shoppers, that is fine. For others, it creates enough doubt to delay the purchase or skip it altogether.

Sampling as a bridge between discovery and purchase

This is where sampling earns its place. It gives people room to explore without asking them to commit too early. Instead of gambling on a full-size bottle, they can live with a smaller amount for a day or two and see what happens.

Trying a sample at home is also more honest than a rushed store test. People can wear it in normal life, not under shop lighting or around ten other perfumes in the air. They can see how it behaves in the morning, in the evening, outdoors or during a long day. They can notice whether they keep reaching for it or whether it starts to annoy them after an hour.

Preference is rarely instant. Plenty of people have bought fragrances based on first impressions, only to realize later that the scent becomes too heavy, too flat or too loud once it settles. A sample reduces that risk. It gives the customer a better basis for judgment and removes some of the pressure that often comes with beauty purchases.

It also opens the door for curiosity. Someone who would never spend blindly on an unfamiliar perfume may happily try a smaller version first. That makes discovery feel enjoyable rather than expensive. Retailers such as Notino understand that this is not just about selling less before selling more. It is about letting the customer build certainty in a category where certainty matters.

Supporting informed and confident purchasing behaviour

When shoppers feel confident, buying gets easier. Confidence affects satisfaction, trust and the likelihood of coming back. A person who chooses well is less likely to regret the purchase, complain afterwards or send the product back.

This is especially important in online retail, where one poor experience can damage the relationship. If a customer orders a fragrance based on hype, receives it, dislikes it and feels misled, the issue is not only the product. The platform itself loses credibility. When the buying journey feels thoughtful and low-pressure, customers remember that too.

There is a practical side to this. Returns are expensive. Disappointment creates friction. Stronger purchase confidence can reduce both. It can also improve how shoppers view the retailer. Instead of seeing the store as a place that pushes products, they begin to see it as a place that helps them choose properly.

That difference matters more now than it did a few years ago. Consumers are overloaded with options. They are reading reviews, watching videos, checking dupes and comparing prices. They do not just want access. They want clarity. Giving them a chance to test the fragrance first makes the decision feel grounded in their own experience rather than in marketing language.

The psychology behind trying before buying

There is another reason this model works. It matches the way people naturally make decisions when something feels personal. Buyers want convenience, yes, but they also want a sense of control. They want to feel that they arrived at the right choice.

Sampling supports that feeling. It lowers perceived risk and replaces guesswork with evidence. Not hard data, maybe, but personal evidence, which is often more persuasive. Once someone has worn a scent, noticed how it develops and decided it suits them, the purchase becomes much easier to justify.

This also explains why sample-led retail feels modern rather than old-fashioned. It is not a step backward from e-commerce. It is a smarter version of it. Good digital retail is not about forcing every category into the same transaction model. It is about recognizing where customers need a little more reassurance and building that into the journey.

The rise of personal shopping expectations

Retail has become more personal in general. Customers expect recommendations, edits, suggestions and offers that feel relevant to them. They do not want to be treated like everyone else. In fragrance and beauty, that expectation is even stronger because the products themselves are tied to identity and routine.

A sample respects that. It quietly says: you do not have to guess, and you do not have to rush. That can make a brand feel more confident, not less. It shows a willingness to let the product speak for itself. For platforms like Notino, that matters because the online experience can sometimes feel overwhelming when the catalogue is large and the choices are endless. That alone changes behaviour.

Integrating sampling into the online customer journey

From a retail perspective, sampling should not be treated as a side tactic or a throwaway promotion. It works best when it is built into the customer journey naturally. It can help at the discovery stage, when someone is trying a scent family. It can help in comparison, when two or three products look equally promising. It can also help at the decision point, when interest is high but hesitation remains.

What makes this approach effective is that it adds realism to digital commerce. It accepts that not every purchase can be made confidently from a product description alone. In categories driven by feel, scent and personal reaction, that is not a weakness of online retail. It is simply reality.

A model that reinforces trust in digital retail

Providing opportunities to experience products before committing to them reflects a broader effort to build trust in online retail environments. By offering curated selections and sample options, platforms such as Notino demonstrate how e-commerce can accommodate the need for experimentation without sacrificing speed or convenience. This approach aligns with modern consumer behaviour, where discovery, testing and purchasing increasingly form a continuous and integrated journey rather than separate steps.

SINGAPORE: Asian stocks rallied, oil prices nursed losses and the dollar wobbled on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed the bombing of Iran’s power grid, allaying fear of a deeper energy shock.

Markets were taken on a rollercoaster ride at the start of the week after Trump added five days to his Saturday ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, citing productive talks with unidentified Iranian officials, which Tehran ‌has denied.

“It’s a negotiating ⁠tactic… ⁠I don’t think that the U.S. administration wants to see oil at $150 because they themselves provoked it,” said Rajeev De Mello, chief investment officer at GAMA Asset Management.

Traders were quick to react to the reversal, sending crude futures tumbling and shares surging, while the dollar and government bond yields fell.

Most of the movement carried over to the Asian trading session on Tuesday, with MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rising 1.3%, while shares in Australia were up 0.7%.

Japan’s Nikkei advanced more than 2%, reversing most of Monday’s 3.5% decline.
U.S. futures were little changed after ending Monday’s cash session higher. Oil prices meanwhile edged higher on Tuesday after sliding 10% in the previous ⁠session. Brent ‌crude futures were up 1% at $100.94 a barrel, while U.S. crude rose 1.9% to $89.84.

Still, movement was highly volatile as war in the Middle East dragged on and the prospect of higher-for-longer energy prices lingered.

“Markets are not out of ⁠the woods,” said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone.

“Price action could remain choppy into Friday’s revised deadline… The key question is whether participants see this as a genuine extension that brings a deal closer, or simply a delay that prolongs uncertainty.”

PARING RATE HIKE EXPECTATIONS

Yields on U.S. Treasuries steadied on Tuesday after a sharp fall overnight, in line with a decline in global bond yields as investors trimmed bets of aggressive interest rate increases by major central banks this year.

The two-year yield was little changed at 3.8498%, having fallen more than 6 basis points in the previous session. The benchmark 10-year yield was last at 4.3400%.

While traders have priced out the small chance that the U.S. Federal Reserve ‌could hike this year, they still expect rates to be left on hold.

The Bank of England is now seen raising rates just twice this year, compared to four previously, while market expectations for hikes from the European Central Bank have also been pared back.

“Unless the Strait (of Hormuz) ⁠is reopened very quickly, we are still more likely than not to see higher interest rates and a meaningful increase in oil importers’ costs in the coming weeks,” said Kit Juckes, head of FX strategy at Societe Generale.

In currencies, the U.S. dollar was on the back foot after falling on Monday, as a pick up in risk sentiment reduced demand for the safe haven currency.

The euro last traded at $1.1603, having risen 0.4% overnight, while sterling held near Monday’s two-week top and was last at $1.3420.

Against the yen, the dollar was up 0.04% at 158.54.

Data on Tuesday showed Japan’s core consumer inflation rate hit 1.6% in February to slide below the Bank of Japan’s 2% target for the first time in nearly four years, complicating the bank’s efforts to justify further interest rate hikes.

Spot gold was up 0.6% at $4,431.65 an ounce.

Thailand is enhancing its economy by promoting wellness tourism, collaborating public and private sectors to offer affluent foreigners medical, beauty, and travel services through Bangkok Dusit Medical Services’ 60 hospitals.

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Key Points

• Thailand’s private and public sectors are collaborating to enhance wellness tourism, targeting affluent foreign visitors.
• The initiative focuses on integrating medical care, beauty services, and travel experiences.
• By promoting wellness tourism, Thailand aims to drive economic growth and attract high-value visitors, exemplified by businesses like Bangkok Dusit Medical Services.

Collaborative Efforts in Wellness Tourism

Thailand is making significant strides in promoting wellness tourism by fostering collaboration between its private and public sectors. This initiative aims to attract affluent foreign tourists who are looking for comprehensive services that blend medical care, beauty treatments, and travel experiences. The focus is on enhancing the core tourism sector, which is essential for the country’s economic growth. By leveraging the expertise of businesses, such as Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS) that manages 60 hospitals, the government seeks to create a robust infrastructure for wellness tourism.

Economic Growth through High-Value Services

The efforts to enhance wellness tourism in Thailand are not merely about increasing tourist numbers but also about providing higher-value services that contribute to a more sustainable economy. By targeting wealthy tourists seeking medical and aesthetic treatments, the initiative aims to transform Thailand into a global hub for wellness services. This strategy is expected to lead to a double impact, boosting both the health industry and travel sectors, thus creating wealth for local communities while improving the country’s international reputation.

Future Prospects and Challenges

While the ambition to establish Thailand as a premier destination for wellness tourism is commendable, it also presents certain challenges. The industry must focus on maintaining high quality standards in both medical and service aspects to compete with other global players. Furthermore, continuous investment in marketing, infrastructure, and staff training will be critical to ensuring that Thailand is seen as a trusted choice for wellness tourism. Despite these challenges, the potential for economic growth makes this initiative a strategic priority for both government and business entities in Thailand.

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ET Intelligence Group: Powerica, a generator set maker, plans to raise ₹700 crore through fresh issue to repay debt and ₹400 crore through offer for sale. Promoter shareholding will fall to 77.4% from 100% after the IPO. The company has diversified into renewable energy and is expanding its wind power portfolio. However, it depends heavily on a single supplier, Cummins India, for engines used in gensets, accounting for over two-third of the total revenue. In addition, the company’s return on equity has been falling. Given these factors, investors may wait for a better clarity on financials after listing.

Business

Incorporated in 1984, Powerica is an integrated power solutions company with a dual business model spanning diesel generator sets and wind power generation. The generator set business remains the core revenue driver, contributing about 85% to total revenue in FY25. It also provides medium-speed large generators through collaboration with Hyundai. It operates three in-house manufacturing facilities located in Karnataka, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Maharashtra that serve industrial, commercial, data centre, and infrastructure customers.

The company diversified into clean energy in 2008 and has since built a wind power business covering independent power production (IPP), EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction), and operations and maintenance (O&M) services. Its total installed operational wind capacity at the end of FY25 reached 279.6 megawatt (MW).

Financials
Revenue rose 5.3% annually to ₹2,653 crore in FY25 from ₹2,378 crore in FY23. Net profit increased by 25.8% to ₹175.8 crore from ₹106.5 crore during the period. However, the Ebitda margin declined to 13% in FY25 from 14% in FY23, underperforming peers such as Cummins India and Kirloskar Oil Engines, which reported margins of 19-23%.

Return on equity (ROE) declined to 17.5% in FY25 from 26.5% in FY24. The net debt-equity ratio fell to 0.2 in FY25 from 0.3 in FY23, but rose again to 0.4 in the first half of FY26 as the company ramped up ongoing wind projects.
Valuation
The issue is valued at the FY25 price-earnings (P/E) multiple of 28 based on post-IPO equity. Considering annualised profit for FY26, the P/E is 18.6 for the company. Cummins India, which manufactures engines and power generation systems, trades at a P/E of 52 while Kirloskar Oil Engines, engaged in diesel engines, agri-equipment and power solutions, trades at around 34.