To Smell Is to Buy. Supermarkets and Scent Advertising

Researchers have shown that scenting the environment reduces perceived wait times, helps employees maintain high service standards, and improves customer ratings of service. Why flavor grocery stores? According to a 2014 Consumer Reports 2014 Survey, one-third of respondents are leaving their current supermarket. Thirty-nine percent cited long checkout lines as the reason. 17% blamed rude staff. Flavoring:

• eliminates these critical impressions,
• maintains a high level of customer service,
• reduces the perceived waiting time in queues,
• encourages customers to buy more items,
• increases sales in departments, whether in the bakery, greengrocer or butcher's counter,
• creates better customer experiences,
• Eliminates unpleasant odors such as seafood, mold, and other accidental odors.

Why will this succeed? Tests conducted in the United States demonstrate that the right scent encourages customers to linger longer in a scented space. It also subconsciously influences purchase intention. When the aroma of baking bread was released in an American supermarket, bakery sales tripled. Migros, one of the largest global grocery chains, decided to introduce ambient perfuming in their Turkish supermarkets. They selected five locations to test the method. They chose the scents of mandarin, pink grapefruit, and vanilla. The results of the pilot program exceeded their wildest expectations. Service quality improved dramatically. They have now expanded the flavoring program to 40 locations in Turkey.