Scent as a Sales Booster

How do you increase sales? How do you create an emotional connection with customers and encourage them to spend more? The answer is fragrance.

How does scent increase sales?

All our experiences and emotions are strongly tied to the sense of smell. The olfactory "bulb" that processes scents is connected to the limbic system — the part of the brain responsible for emotions and memories. Emotional associations therefore influence our likes and dislikes when it comes to smell. A positive link between a place and a scent creates a bond with that location, and in the case of shops this becomes one of the main factors influencing purchasing decisions.

How to create an emotional bond with customers?

A study conducted by Nike found that scenting an environment can increase purchase intent by as much as 80%. By diffusing the right aroma in a shop, restaurant or car showroom, you build an emotional bond with customers — and that translates into purchases and higher sales.

Examples that prove the effectiveness

• Breakfast, coffee and pastry sales increased when the Novotel hotel chain diffused a coffee aroma in the mornings.
• Shampoos placed in a pleasantly scented area sold 36.9% better; overall shampoo sales in the store rose by 27%.
• A London club doubled sales of Malibu cocktails after diffusing a coconut scent.
• According to a Washington State University study, customers spent 20% more time in a store scented with citrus orange.