How the Scent of a Store Can Influence What You Buy — and Why Gender Matters

In the ever-evolving theater of retail, where lighting, music, and layout have long played starring roles in influencing shoppers’ moods, a new actor is proving to be quietly — and powerfully — persuasive: scent.

A fascinating field study published in the Journal of Business Research reveals that the right fragrance in a store can do more than simply freshen the air. When that scent aligns with the gender of the shopper, it can significantly shape how they perceive the space — and whether they choose to linger or leave.

The researchers set out to test a surprisingly underexplored concept: Could gender-congruent ambient scents — that is, smells typically associated with either masculinity or femininity — sway consumer behavior in a real-world retail setting?

To find out, they subtly manipulated the air inside a clothing boutique, alternating between a masculine scent (woody-spicy) and a feminine one (floral-vanilla). Then, they observed how male and female shoppers responded.

The results were striking. Shoppers exposed to a scent that aligned with their gender reported more favorable impressions of the store and merchandise. More tellingly, they were more inclined to engage in approach behaviors — walking around more, spending additional time, and, crucially, showing greater purchase intent.

“People aren’t just shopping with their eyes or wallets,” the study suggests. “They’re shopping with their noses — often without even realizing it.”

This sensory manipulation taps into a deeper psychological truth: scent is intimately linked to emotion, memory, and identity. A familiar or affirming smell can make a shopper feel at ease, more open to discovery, even indulgence. A mismatched scent, on the other hand, might go unnoticed consciously but trigger subtle discomfort or disengagement.

As retailers look for fresh ways to attract and retain customers in an increasingly online-driven world, scent branding — once the domain of luxury hotels and upscale spas — is becoming a secret weapon in the brick-and-mortar arsenal.

But the study also raises important questions. Could reinforcing gender norms through scent alienate nonbinary or gender-diverse individuals? Does a “feminine” scent really appeal to all women, or are these associations culturally conditioned and ripe for rethinking?

For now, what’s clear is that the next time you find yourself inexplicably drawn to a sweater or lingering a little longer by the display table, it might not just be the lighting or layout at play. It might be the whisper of vanilla in the air — or the quiet power of scent doing its work.