When H.H. Gregg, an appliance retailer with locations throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S., planned to refurbish some of its stores, it researched layout, color and lighting, as well as scent, to create a more “congenial” shopping experience. The faint smell of home cooking – apple pie, sugar cookies – has helped boost sales 33 percent in the remodeled stores. The scenting is subtle. In fact, it has been shown that too powerful of a scent will overwhelm the customer and cause them to be less likely to make a buying decision.
