Using smell to make a sale

TEXAS – Everyone loves the smell of freshly baked cookies, but don’t expect that aroma to sell your home, new research suggests.

A study of 402 people in a home-décor store in Switzerland in 2010 found that shoppers spent 31.8 percent more, on average, when the store was scented with a simple orange scent over a complex blend of orange, basil and green tea.

Homeowners are often coached to create pleasing aromas when potential buyers pay a visit.

But complex smells, like baked goods and potpourri, are likely to damp enthusiasm for a fast sale for top dollar, says Eric Spangenberg, dean of the college of business at Washington State University, whose study on the effects of aromas is scheduled to appear in the Journal of Retailing.

Complex scents, even if they’re pleasant, can be a distraction because some people subconsciously dedicate time and energy to figuring out what the aroma is.

Spangenberg recommends simple scents, such as lemon, basil and pine, since they are easier to process and less distracting and thus more conducive to spending.

Scents also need to be congruent with the home. A cedar smell might work with a mountain home, but it could seem out of place at a beach house.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal.

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