The document describes an observation experiment focused on how smells influence shopping experiences. The author visits several stores - a baker, chocolatier, hardware store, cell phone store, greengrocer, and pub - and analyzes how the smells in each store make them feel and likely affect purchasing behaviors. Key insights include that pleasant entrance smells can encourage purchases, varying smells throughout a store prolongs their effect, and less pleasant smells are best replaced by other sensory stimuli until they fade.

1. Observation,
by any other name,
would smell as sweet
An adventure in smell

2. The Challenge
● In contemplating the Observation Lab challenge, I was
aware that I was in a place where photography inside
shops was not going to be possible. Even overt note-
taking may have been frowned upon, particularly in
small, owner-operated shops.
● Thus, I determined to focus my observations on smell –
and the emotions it evokes – and how this contributed
to the shopping experience.
● Almost as a control, the first premises I visited were a
baker and a chocolatier. I then moved on to a traditional
hardware store, a shop selling cell-phones, a
greengrocer, and finally my local pub.

3. The Baker
The baker’s shop initially smelled of baking bread, invoking
childhood memories of enjoying warm bread from my
grandmother’s oven. Such thoughts made me want to eat
the bread, surely encouraging a quick and impulsive
purchase. However, the smell quickly developed into a
moist, yeasty smell that, while not unpleasant, was less
pleasurable. Coming down from the initial high, I was
probably less inclined to purchase on impulse and more
likely solely to buy my intended goods. From this, I assess
that the Baker would sell more fresh bread when he has a
shorter queue; longer lines would work to reduce such
smell-induced impulse behavior.

4. The Chocolatier
Opening the door of the chocolatier’s, I was hit by an
overpowering small of bitter chocolate that I found
repulsive; so strong was the smell that I had to leave the
store for a moment to clear my nostrils! Upon return, the
smell began to fade but the bitter aspect lingered longest.
The pungent aroma had none of the attributes I associate
with the taste of chocolate – sweet, creamy, melt-in-the-
mouth – so was somewhat disconcerting. After two or three
minutes, the unappealing smell had evaporated completely
and I realized that it was now the way that the treats were
presented in their display cases that would most likely
induce any purchase. Unlike the baker’s, then, it is making
a customer wait that would increase the chocolatier’s sales.

5. The Hardware Store
The neighbourhood hardware store was a maze of wooden
shelving - dimly lit and somewhat claustrophobic - filled with
cut timber, ironmongery, and pre-electric tools. The most
abundant smells were sawdust and oil, the levels varying
as I moved between the piles of goods; when I remained in
one place for too long the smell waned, but it would quickly
be replaced by another if I moved around. My impression
throughout was of a hardware store that had been there for
many years, steeped in tradition, and probably with a
proprietor known for his sage advice. Overall I found the
patchwork of aromas both interesting and, because the
smells were still evident long after I had entered the store,
an ongoing determinant to my good mood.

6. The Cell Phone Store
To the eye, the cell-phone store was clean, open and
bright, and populated by improbably-young sales staff; the
designer of such a modern store must have used words like
‘fresh’ in her description of the concept. Unfortunately, the
smells told a different story. The floor area smelled of
antiseptic cleaner and invoked thoughts of a hospital ward.
The sales staff smelled either of Body Odour or the various
chemicals they had over-applied to hide theirs; more
locker-room than shopping heaven. Finally, the phones
they were selling smelled of plastic – reminding me of the
sort of disposable toys given away by fast-food restaurants.
Overall there was little that was ‘fresh’ about the smells in
that shop, in contrast with the visuals, and this would have
detracted from the experience had they been the deciding

7. The Greengrocer
Because the front window was open to the elements, the
flowers in the greengrocer's only exerted their influence
when I passed themas I entered the shop. For me, flowers
always invoke emotions surrounding celebrations – when
the pleasant smell of flowers is part of a welcomed gift –
rather than funerals. Inside, the fruit and vegetables
themselves offered little for the nose; yet my few minutes
with them removed any lingering memory of the flowers’
aroma, such that I was struck by the smell of the flowers
again when I began leaving the shop. I suspect that the
grocer has been wise in his placement of the flowers, which
has been crafted not only to make the customer on entry
feel good about fruit and vegetable purchases but also to
encourage impulsive flower purchase on exit.

8. The Local Pub
For many years my local pub smelled mostly of cigarette
smoke, until legislation condemned the smokers to enjoy
their habit out in the rain. Some months later, after the
tobacco smell had cleared, and only then, I noticed how the
carpets smelled of the beer that had been spilled over the
years. Finally, the publican applied some technology to the
problem and the pub is now a haven. On entry, the pub
smells of mown grass but this is replaced by the smell of
linseed-polished wood as I approach the bar. There is a
faint smell of grilling onions near the door to the kitchen and
an aroma of lavender near the toilets. Of course, all these
smells come from cans that spray automatically every few
minutes; authentic they are not, but my experience is better
for them.

9. General Insights
● Having the right smell at the store entrance can pay
dividends, so arrange for the best-smells to be there.
Moreover, where smell is not an expected part of the
shopping experience, a good or appropriate smell
enhances it considerably.
● Having different smells in different parts of the store can
prevent smells from fading in the customer’s nose, and
thereby magnify the beneficial effect of the good smells.
● It is easy to be oblivious to most odours if other stimuli
are strong; smell usually permeates throughout a store
so customers quickly become accustomed to it. If less
attractive smells cannot be disguised, rely on visual
impact and keep customers busy while the smell fades.