Article: The Scent of Higher Volume; Merchants play on shoppers' feelings to pry open their purses.

Byline: Kimberly Palmer

Think you've just gotta have that new digital camera or silky wrap dress? Well, maybe you don't. Retailers methodically and scientifically train consumers to buy their products even when shoppers don't really want to. Companies have developed a range of strategies, from quickly rotating merchandise to infusing stores with certain scents and sounds, to get customers to spend more than they would otherwise. Fueled in part by a growing mound of research that suggests consumers are responsive to such tactics, more and more retailers are turning to them. Within the past 18 months, "it really got legs in U.S. retail," David Van Epps, chief ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!