Have you ever walked by a store and smelt a pleasant
ambient scent that drew you in? Many stores, retail in particular, are using
this marketing technique to influence consumers buying decisions. Multiple experiments
have revealed that a pleasant fragrance positively influences consumers’
affective reactions, evaluations, and intentions to revisit the store. The only
downfall of this marketing tactic is that scents in the store may not be desirable
for all consumer types, especially if a company has a broadened target market.
For example, I am attracted to the scent that comes from the Abercrombie store
yet my mother is not. When she goes into the store to purchase an item for me
as a gift her shopping time in the store is shortened due to the smell. On the
other hand, as a younger consumer who is drawn to the scent my shopping time
when I am in the store is prolonged because I do enjoy the scent and it doesn’t
bother me; the scent motivates me to keep shopping. Strategically manipulating
the store environment via ambient scents is an inexpensive yet effective way to
positively influence consumer behavior; however, the decision to diffuse a
scent should be based on the target audience.
Can you think of a store that has drawn you in because
of a pleasant ambient scent? What do you think the target market of that store
consists of?
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