“If I were a merchant, I’d choose scent over anything else. If I missed its profit, I wouldn’t miss its fragrance,” so said Caliph Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him. Also, a modern fragrance industry pioneer once expressed that perfume is a language that needs no translation. It’s a unique language that sets each person apart and bestows an individual an advantage to express themselves.
With this in mind, the journey of success began for the ‘Banafa for Oud’ Company, which has established itself as a leading destination in the world of oud, perfumes, and diverse incense.
‘Banafa for Oud’ was founded with a clear vision: to provide high-quality, authentic products for enthusiasts of oud, perfumes, and various incense. The journey to success began by offering a wide range of products that cater to different tastes and needs.
When Did the ‘Banafa for Oud’ Company Start?
Banafa for Oud Company’s establishment dates back approximately 35+ years. However, its journey towards digitalization began with the creation of an online store to sell its products, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The pandemic drove businesses of all kinds toward digital transformation and utilizing online marketing to increase sales and achieve more profits.
This transformation has indeed yielded results. Sales increased at remarkable rates, surpassing initial expectations. In addition to that, the customer base expanded, trust was gained, and brand loyalty was enhanced. The store initially targeted wholesale traders, and later, it expanded its scope to include retail sales.
Banafa for Oud distinguished itself by providing a range of high-quality products. These product categories include a wide variety of spray perfumes, scents, incense, sticks, concentrated oil-based perfumes, and all the essentials for incense manufacturing. This diversity has attracted enthusiasts of oud and perfumes from different ages and cultures.
The company managed to establish itself as unique among competitors due to the quality of its products, competitive pricing, and the exceptional shopping experience it provides to customers.
However, success stories are not without challenges. Banafa for Oud encountered numerous challenges on its journey to success. We will discuss the most prominent ones below.
Key Challenges Faced Banafa for Oud on Its Journey to Success
First: Changing Deeply Rooted Consumer Beliefs Regarding the Relationship Between Price and Quality
One of the most prominent challenges faced by the ‘Banafa for Oud’ Company during its growth and success journey was changing the beliefs of Saudi consumers, in particular, and Arab consumers in general, regarding the relationship between price and quality. There was a firmly entrenched belief that the higher the product’s price, the higher its quality, and vice versa.
This prevailing belief posed a significant challenge. To address this, the company focused on changing consumers’ perceptions of the quality and authenticity of its products. They implemented a robust marketing strategy that utilized various channels and marketing tools, including Snapchat, Instagram, Google ads, TikTok, and Twitter.
However, the primary emphasis was placed on marketing channels that were most aligned with and appealing to the Saudi audience, particularly Snapchat and Instagram.
These platforms were deemed the most impactful and effective in driving sales among the various marketing channels used. The company leveraged promotional videos to showcase the quality and authenticity of its products and explain their features, usage, and maintenance.
Second: The Nature of Fragile Perfumes and Considerations for Quality and Safety
Considering the sensitivity of fragrance products, they require special attention, starting with the adopted management system that ensures compliance with Total Quality Management standards and the attainment of ISO 9001:2015 certification.
This extends to the manufacturing processes and the packaging procedures, which demand significant effort to comply with the requirements set by the Food and Drug Authority, focusing on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and obtaining accreditation.
This challenge led the company to establish an integrated quality management department to overcome these obstacles. They can apply the highest standards and test their products in their specialized laboratories.
From manufacturing to packaging with materials designed exclusively for their brand identity to withstand the various risks that may occur during the shipping process to ensure their quality. Additionally, other standard procedures are followed during transportation and handling.
This is followed by obtaining various accreditation certificates, including, for example:
- ISO 45001:2018 certificate in the field of Occupational Safety and Health Management System.
- ISO 14001:2015 certificate in the field of Environmental Management System.
- ISO 22716:2007 certificate for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in cosmetics, along with the application of recommended standards to preserve them from damage during shipping and deliver them to consumers in the best possible quality.
The company also was keen on providing a unique experience for consumers that befits the luxury and authenticity of their products by distinguishing their packaging materials with a distinctive personal touch that complements the quality of the product and the customer.
Despite all these challenges, ‘Banafa for Oud’ was able to achieve significant success by focusing on the quality of their product manufacturing and ensuring they are presented in the best possible way that suits the nature of these products.
To further these successes, it was necessary to create means that allowed for efficient and effective management of shipping orders. Hence, the need arose to search for an innovative solution that provides this important feature.
The trend towards using OTO PACK, a comprehensive shipping gateway and provider of technological solutions in the field of logistics services, played a vital role in meeting Banafa for Oud’s needs and requirements related to the automation and management of shipping orders and their synchronization. It provided the capability to monitor and update shipment statuses automatically on the website and enhanced international shipping performance.
Thus, the company decided to utilize the OTO PACK, which helped organize and manage shipping operations efficiently and effectively, alongside improving product selection, picking, and preparation processes. This made the company’s team enthusiastic about the application.
In conclusion,
The successful journey of ‘Banafa for Oud’ is worthy of study, and the scenes we have presented don’t fully reflect the long journey that has spanned over 35 years of dedication, creativity, and excellence.
As we conclude this discussion of the remarkable journey of growth and success of ‘Banafa for Oud,’ we offer some important advice derived from this exceptional story that will propel your business toward sustainable success and customer satisfaction:
- Focus on quality, and don’t attempt to offer subpar products or services, as this will undoubtedly lead to losing customers and the failure of your store.
- Ensure to provide exceptional customer service, as it will make customers return to your store.
- Be innovative and do not hesitate to come up with new ideas for developing your business.
- Rely on innovative solutions that contribute to driving your business towards success.
- Be patient because success does not happen overnight; it requires time and effort.
