Christmas Smells & Sounds = Buy, Buy, Buy!

For as long as I can remember Christmas has been associated with scents and sounds. From the angels singing while the wise men gave baby Jesus frankincense and myrrh, to the smell of cinnamon and the jingle of sleigh bells today. As it’s coming up for Christmas shops have started to decorate but it’s not just for the warm fuzzy feeling and the enjoyment of their customers that they do this. Most retailers depend on strong Christmas sales every year and by dressing their store up they increase their profitability.

‘It’s beginning to smell (and sound) a lot like Christmas: the interactive effects of ambient scent and music in a retail setting’ an article by Eric R. Spangenberg et al. looks at the effects of ambient scent and music on a customers evaluation of a store, it’s environment and merchandise. The article compares customer reactions in a mock retail setting where no Christmas scent vs. Christmas scent and no Christmas music vs. Christmas music is applied. They found that Christmas scent buying effects are moderated by music. Customers react better when scent and music are combined equally. Where there is scent but no music stores evaluations are lowered. Shops need to keep scent and sound consistent or there will be no affect on a customer’s behaviour. Therefore it is a wise choice for shops to evoke the spirit of the Christmas season by implementing environmental cues and creating a welcoming, pleasant atmosphere.

“results suggest that wise retailers can act upon this lesson by blessing their customers with synchronized sound systems and scent diffusers, and in turn receive the blessing of strong holiday sales.”

It would be interesting to see whether or not this theory works for other holiday seasons such as Halloween or Easter. Also if it’s not Christmas would Christmas scent and sound still make you buy? Probably not as other factors would be missing such as, time of year and general holiday spirit. However different scents and sounds may be capable of increasing profit. In the ‘Hollister’ shop for example there is a distinct smell and music is played loudly throughout the store. Most people enjoy this especially the smell. You can smell the store before you see it so it is instantly recognisable, the clothes inside are sprayed with the signature scent so when you buy something and wear it for the first time you remind other people that recognise the smell of the brand. The shop then has extra items to sell as customers can buy bottles of perfume or the CDs that are played.

Scent and sound is a very clever non intrusive way to encourage people to buy, most of the time you won’t even notice you’ve been affected. I guess it’s the same as when you smell a Starbucks coffee then suddenly have to buy one.

Do Store Interiors Make You Buy?

I’ve currently been reading articles about the interior design of stores and whether or not it increases sales. Does a shop layout, environment, visual merchandising and interior design make people buy? It has been proven that it does. In today’s market where competition is fierce the design of a shop is where some companies would be able to gain an edge over their competitors. A shops atmosphere can attract customers and keep them coming back.

Andrea Groeppcl-KIein and Dorothea Baun test this theory in their journal ‘The Role of Customers’ Arousal for Retail Stores- Results from Experimental Pilot Study Using Electro dermal Activity as Indicator.’ They agreed with other experts such as Donvan and Rossiter that a pleasant store environment generates arousal and pleasure in the customer which in turn increases; shopping enjoyment, time spent in the store, a willingness to talk to personnel, chances of customers spending more money than planned and their probability of returning to the store.  However they felt that other articles simply measured this on a verbal scale which may not generate accurate results. They propose to use Electro dermal Activity (EDA) to measure a customer’s arousal in a store. EDA is a sensitive indicator that responds to the smallest variation in a person’s arousal.

They set up two different grocery stores in Austria both selling the same products, of the same quality and price.

Store 1 took into account environmental psychology. The fruit and veg were presented in a large scale in deep carriers and separated according to colour. Some products were placed on islands in the middle of the store. Exotic fruit, flowers and fresh herbs were used as eye catchers. The store was bright, spacious and high ceilinged.

Store 2 did not take into account environmental psychology. It wasn’t very bright and there was no extraordinary product presentation unlike store 1. Shelving was put along side the wall and display tables were in rows squeezed within long narrow aisles.

As they thought Store 1 created a higher arousing environment.

So, why does a more pleasant environment make us want to buy or revisit a shop?  Well an interesting and provocative store design affects the part of the brain involved with filtering sensory information from the central nervous system. All sensory information enhances arousal which therefore causes activity and reactivity in the central nervous system. This increases outer and inner stimulation which leads to higher activation and activity. Basically a pleasant store atmosphere evokes positive feelings which will then be associated with the shop and the brand. Stores with clear and simple structures make people feel relaxed therefore more comfortably in the store. When we are comfortable, relaxed and enjoying ourselves we are open to buying.

I know that I’m definitely affected by a stores design there are some shops I dread going into and rarely buy from because the shop is messy, unorganised and overcrowded. Shopping is more pleasurable for me when it’s a calm experience. I like stores that aren’t busy or noisy, that smell nice, have their items laid out clearly, and changing rooms that aren’t claustrophobic. This makes me want to buy; the whole experience feels like I’m treating myself from the moment I walk in to when I leave with my item nicely wrapped and bagged.