Arabic Perfumes Wholesale: A Range-Building Guide for Retailers

In short: A viable starter range of Arabic perfumes consists of 20 to 30 fragrances, mainly Eau de Parfum in 100 ml, mixing well-known bestsellers with two or three niche brands. At Rimaal you order from €390 net and at least 3 units per scent, freely combinable across all brands. This guide shows which fragrance families, brands and sizes have proven themselves in retail and how to put your range together.

Why Arabic fragrances belong in your range

In Europe, Arabic perfumes have grown from a niche topic into a permanent fixture on the fragrance shelf. Three points matter most for retailers: the fragrances are intense and long-lasting, which customers perceive as good value; purchase prices are well below those of classic designer perfumes; and the brands refresh their ranges quickly, so there are regular new releases for your marketing.

At the same time, the market needs explaining. Customers know individual names such as Khamrah or Yara from social media, but not the brands behind them. If you can briefly explain in store or in your online shop how oud, amber and gourmand differ, you will find selling noticeably easier. That is exactly what this guide is for.

Fragrance families that sell in retail

Most Arabic perfumes can be assigned to four families. A balanced shelf covers all four, with the emphasis on the first two.

  • Gourmand – sweet, edible-seeming notes such as vanilla, caramel, coffee, praline and pistachio. Currently the strongest group in sell-through, especially among younger customers.
  • Oud and woods – the heart of Arabic perfumery: agarwood, sandalwood, cedarwood, often combined with saffron or rose. Higher basket value, longer advice time.
  • Amber and oriental – warm, resinous compositions with frankincense, labdanum and tonka bean. Classics for the cold season.
  • Musk, floral and fresh – lighter fragrances for everyday wear and for customers trying oriental perfumes for the first time. Important as entry products.

For a detailed guide to the notes, see our article Fragrance families of Arabic perfumes.

Understanding oud

Oud is the most expensive raw material in perfumery, and in most fragrances in this price range it is present as a synthetic reconstruction. That is not a quality defect but industry standard — genuine agarwood oil could not be accommodated in the retail price. In the sales conversation, managing expectations is what counts: oud fragrances are powerful, smoky-woody and project strongly. Customers used to fresh designer fragrances are better off starting with an oud-rose or oud-vanilla accord than with a pure oud.

The most important brands for your range

Rimaal carries more than 25 brands. Four to six are enough to get started. A complete overview, including our distribution status, can be found under Our Brands.

  • Lattafa – the most sought-after brand in the Arabic segment and the starting point for almost every retailer. Khamrah, Yara, Asad, Fakhar, Badee Al Oud and Eternal Oud are the names customers actively ask for.
  • Maison Alhambra – a broad range with a strong gourmand line, including the Sugar Me and Nebula series.
  • Armaf – known for the Club de Nuit series, classic, crisp men's fragrance profiles, high recognition.
  • Khadlaj – good value for money, eye-catching bottles, strong Extrait de Parfum lines such as Biscotti and Island.
  • Afnan – the 9 PM and Turathi series, plus discovery sets that work well as an entry offer in store.
  • Riiffs – decorative bottles with strong shelf impact, often bought as gifts.
  • French Avenue – more upmarket Extrait concentrations for customers with a taste for niche.
  • Ahmed Al Maghribi – quieter, elegant compositions, good for regular customers who expect advice.
  • Volaré, Paris Corner, Gulf Orchid & Maison Asrar, Shams, Rasasi and Saleel – worthwhile once your core range is in place and you want to stand out from competitors in your town.

We have summarised which Lattafa fragrances pay off first in retail in Lattafa Wholesale 2026.

Women's, men's and unisex on the shelf

The Arabic fragrance market is less strictly divided by gender than the European one. Many bestsellers are officially unisex and are bought by both target groups. In practice, a split of roughly 40 percent women's, 30 percent men's and 30 percent unisex has proven effective — with a remark in the sales conversation that the classification is a recommendation, not a rule.

Seasonal weighting

From spring through summer, lighter, fruity and fresh-floral fragrances sell better, as do body mists and perfume oils. From autumn onwards, demand shifts markedly towards oud, amber, leather and sweet gourmands; this is also the strongest period for sales, boosted by the Christmas trade and demand for gift sets. Ideally, plan your winter-season reorder in September, before the most popular titles become scarce at the brands.

Gourmand as a growth driver

The most marked shift of recent years has come from the gourmand segment. Pistachio, caramel, marshmallow, coffee and chocolate are now subcategories in their own right, and the brands are launching entire series in this profile. For retailers, that means at least three to five gourmand titles on the shelf, placed visibly, ideally with testers. These fragrances often sell without lengthy advice.

Concentrations, sizes and product types

For range planning you should keep the product types clearly separate — they serve different price points and occasions.

  • Eau de Parfum (EDP), usually 100 ml – the core product, around 70 to 80 percent of a typical range.
  • Extrait de Parfum – higher concentration of fragrance, greater longevity, higher retail price. Good as a step up on the upper shelves.
  • Perfume oil (attar) – alcohol-free, very economical in use, popular with customers with sensitive skin and among regulars.
  • Deodorant sprays and body mists – a low-priced complement, ideal for add-on sales at the till and as a bundle with the matching EDP.
  • Room fragrances – 300 ml sprays from the same fragrance lines; these work well in shops with homeware and gift ranges.
  • Gift sets and discovery sets – important in the fourth quarter and as a low-risk entry point for undecided customers.

How big should the starter range be?

As a guideline, the following structure has proven itself: 20 to 30 different fragrances, 6 units each, spread across two or three lead brands and one or two supplementary brands. Of these, roughly half should be sought-after bestsellers that customers already know, a quarter gourmand new releases and a quarter oud and amber titles for customers who expect more advice. With this split you cover the price spectrum without tying up capital in too many individual titles.

After the first sales period, your own sell-through figures will show which families work in your catchment area — and you can then fine-tune in a targeted way rather than buying broadly.

Purchase price, calculation and margin

At Rimaal you can see wholesale prices once your account has been approved. For your calculation, do not look at the purchase price alone; factor in shipping, packaging, payment fees and your stock turnover. A fragrance with a small margin that sells through every week is often more profitable than a high-priced title that sits on the shelf for a quarter. You will find a step-by-step calculation in Calculating your margin correctly.

A tip from practice: do not advertise with comparisons to designer perfumes. Wording such as “inspired by” or direct comparisons with protected brands can be challenged under competition law. Sell the fragrances on their own notes and their origin — that carries further anyway.

Authentic stock, EAN and GPSR

For resale in the EU you need complete documentation. Every item at Rimaal carries an EAN barcode; we provide proof of purchase and GPSR documents on request. What to look out for with a new supplier is covered in How to recognise authentic perfume.

Shipping: perfume is dangerous goods

Perfumes contain alcohol and count as class 3 dangerous goods in shipping. In the trade, the “limited quantity” (LQ) provisions are generally used for this. What that means for your own shipments to end customers is explained in Shipping perfume as dangerous goods.

Trading terms at Rimaal

  • Minimum order value €390 net, at least 3 units per scent, freely combinable across all brands
  • Shipped from our warehouse in Germany; payment received by 12:00 means dispatch on the same working day, provided the goods are in stock
  • Within Germany, DHL Express free of charge from an order value of €390; EU shipping charged by weight
  • Supply to business customers with a valid VAT identification number only
  • Self-collection possible by appointment

All the details can be found under Wholesale terms and Payment & Shipping. Our guide for retailers describes how your first order works; if you are just starting out, Starting a perfume shop covers the basics.

Frequently asked questions from retailers

Which Arabic perfumes should I buy first as a retailer?

Start with titles customers ask for by name — for Lattafa, for example, Khamrah, Yara, Asad, Fakhar and Badee Al Oud. Add three to five gourmand new releases and two to three oud titles for customers who expect more advice.

How many different fragrances does a starter range need?

20 to 30 fragrances at 6 units each, spread across two or three lead brands and one or two supplementary brands. This covers all fragrance families and price points without tying up too much capital.

What is the minimum order at Rimaal?

The minimum order value is €390 net, and you order at least 3 units per scent. Fragrances can be combined freely across all brands within one order.

Which fragrance families are selling best at the moment?

Gourmand fragrances with vanilla, caramel, pistachio and coffee are seeing the strongest demand, followed by oud and amber compositions in the cold season. Fresh and floral fragrances work as entry products for customers buying Arabic perfumes for the first time.

Which sizes and concentrations are usual in retail?

The core of the range is Eau de Parfum in 100 ml. Useful additions are Extrait de Parfum for the upper price point, perfume oils, deodorant sprays, body mists, room fragrances and gift sets.

Is the stock authentic?

Yes. Rimaal sources its products directly from the brands or their official distributors. Every item has an EAN barcode; proof of purchase and GPSR documents are available on request.

Who can order from Rimaal?

We supply business customers only — retailers, perfumeries, online shops and distributors with a valid VAT identification number. Once we have checked your company details, we approve your account; you will then see wholesale prices and stock levels.

Next step

Open a free wholesale account. Once it is approved, you will see all prices and live stock levels and can put your range together straight away. We answer questions about individual brands or range planning via the contact form — and About Rimaal tells you who is behind the distribution.