Net Cost, a grocery store with locations in Brooklyn, N.Y., was one of the first supermarket chains to use scenting to fill customers’ carts. Net Cost has scent machines mounted on their locations’ walls to fill the air with an endless artificial scent of milk chocolate (in the baking aisle), fresh baked bread (by the bakery), smoked meat (by the deli counter) and grapefruit (by the fresh produce). The goal of installing the machines was simple: make the customers hungry, and in turn, they will fill their carts. During the initial months after installing the machines, Net Cost saw sales increase over 7 percent!
Next time you're strolling through the aisles of your neighborhood grocery store, take a second to smell what's in the air! Maybe they too are using scenting tactics to fill your cart!