Smell this!

A store visit isn't just a store visit anymore - it's an experience! It's not just shopping but interacting. It's not just touching but feeling. It's not just looking but smelling. Wait! Smelling? Really?

Scent is powerful. It invites us to come closer or warns us to stay away. It can make our mouths water or make us gag. Employing scent as a "marketing tool" is nothing new. There were scratch-n-sniff stickers and tester flaps attached to perfume ads in magazines. Lately, I've been reading a lot about how retailers are taking it a step further and hiring scent consultants to come in and create systems that will pump specially-created aromas into the air. The intended result? Creating a sort of scent ambiance that customers will find attractive and appealing.

Considering the immense power of the nose, it's nice to see that it's starting to get some recognition from retailers and their store designers. I'm all for it, but I would suggest using a bit of caution when pumping scents into a store. Subtlety is the name of the game. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Overpowering scents, though they may not be foul, can be irritating to sensitive smellers.