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The Effects Of Ambient Scent On Consumer Behavior: A Review Of The Literature

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  • OLAHUT Meda Roxana

    (Babes Bolyai University of Cluj Napoca, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Marketing Department)

  • PLAIAS Ioan

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to present an extended literature review of relevant empirical studies which examine the effect of ambient scent on consumers’ perception, consumers’ emotions and consumers’ behavioral responses in the context of retailing. Compared with other atmospheric stimuli (such as background music), ambient scent has received little attention from researchers. This paper is also concentrated on identifying de principal dimensions of ambient scent (presence versus absence; congruity versus incongruity and pleasantness versus unpleasantness) and examined how these dimensions of ambient scent have an impact on evaluation of a product, of a store or of a shopping mall and their impact on shopping behavior within a store. The paper also presented the Gulas and Bloch (1995) model, a complex conceptual framework on the influence of ambient scent on consumer responses, in their model the authors introduced the influence of mediating factors on behavioral responses to scent. Their model is a first step on the understanding the role of ambient scent in influencing consumer behavior. Davis, Kooijman and Ward (2003) extending and elaborating the Gulas and Bloch (1995) model by introducing concepts from cognate disciplines and examines mediating factors that help shape the emotional and behavioural responses that are stimulated to encompass current research on human olfaction and brings another specific points for future research. Based on the results of the relevant studies the authors of the present paper concludes by identifying gaps in the literature and suggest future research to explore how the use of scent help to create an overall store atmosphere which influence shopping behavior in the context of retailing.

Suggested Citation

  • OLAHUT Meda Roxana & PLAIAS Ioan, 2013. "The Effects Of Ambient Scent On Consumer Behavior: A Review Of The Literature," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 1797-1806, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:ora:journl:v:1:y:2013:i:1:p:1797-1806
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    File URL: http://anale.steconomiceuoradea.ro/volume/2013/n1/190.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Spangenberg, Eric R. & Sprott, David E. & Grohmann, Bianca & Tracy, Daniel L., 2006. "Gender-congruent ambient scent influences on approach and avoidance behaviors in a retail store," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(12), pages 1281-1287, November.
    2. Spangenberg, Eric R. & Grohmann, Bianca & Sprott, David E., 2005. "It's beginning to smell (and sound) a lot like Christmas: the interactive effects of ambient scent and music in a retail setting," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(11), pages 1583-1589, November.
    3. Mitchell, Deborah J & Kahn, Barbara E & Knasko, Susan C, 1995. "There's Something in the Air: Effects of Congruent or Incongruent Ambient Odor on Consumer Decision Making," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 22(2), pages 229-238, September.
    4. Chebat, Jean-Charles & Michon, Richard, 2003. "Impact of ambient odors on mall shoppers' emotions, cognition, and spending: A test of competitive causal theories," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(7), pages 529-539, July.
    5. Michon, Richard & Chebat, Jean-Charles & Turley, L. W., 2005. "Mall atmospherics: the interaction effects of the mall environment on shopping behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(5), pages 576-583, May.
    6. Morrison, Michael & Gan, Sarah & Dubelaar, Chris & Oppewal, Harmen, 2011. "In-store music and aroma influences on shopper behavior and satisfaction," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(6), pages 558-564, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Šliburytė Laimona & Vaitiekė Jurgita, 2019. "Exploring the Effect of Ambient Scent on Consumer Impulsive Buying Behaviour: Theoretical Insights," Management of Organizations: Systematic Research, Sciendo, vol. 81(1), pages 101-118, June.
    2. Francisco I. Vega-Gómez & Francisco J. Miranda-Gonzalez & Jesús Pérez Mayo & Óscar Rodrigo González-López & Laura Pascual-Nebreda, 2020. "The Scent of Art. Perception, Evaluation, and Behaviour in a Museum in Response to Olfactory Marketing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Ya-Juan Gao & Chiung-Ling Wang & Min-Ling Huang & Wei Guo, 2022. "A New Perspective of Sustainable Perception: Research on the Smellscape of Urban Block Space," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-17, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ambient scent; store atmosphere; consumer behavior; consumer perception; consumer emotion; retail stores.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing
    • M39 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Other

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