Dollars and Scents

Look out for aromatic marketing at a mall near you. Corporations and retail gurus are homing in on the fragrances that send you reaching for your wallet.

Sweet Sneaks

Footlocker may soon break out the scented candles. A study financed by Nike found most people are more willing to purchase shoes—and pay a higher price—if the room smells like flowers.

Home Cooking

Real estate agents butter up potential homebuyers with the smell of freshly baked treats. Wendy Allen, a Century 21 agent in Ann Arbor, Michigan, says she often bakes a pie or cookies just before an open house. "The scent gives everybody a good feeling," she says. "It smells like home."

Luck Be a Lilac?

Gamblers at the Las Vegas Hilton Casino spent 50 percent more time playing slot machines when the space was perfumed with a floral scent than when it smelled like an everyday casino. The stronger the fragrance, the longer individuals gambled.

Do I Smell Fat?

Wonder why Chanel is so expensive? In one study, men rated unattractive women 20 percent more favorably when the room was spritzed with a pleasant fragrance.