A Fresh Look on Old Clothes: Laundry Smell Boosts Second-Hand Store Sales

Autor: Jasper H. B. de Groot, Charly Walther, Rob W. Holland
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Brain Sciences, Vol 12, Iss 11, p 1526 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2076-3425
47918381
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12111526
Popis: The clothing industry is one of the biggest polluters impacting the environment. Set in a sustainable environment, this study addresses whether certain ambient odors can influence the purchase of second-hand clothing. This study fulfilled three aims, increasing methodological, statistical, and theoretical rigor. First, replicating the finding that fresh laundry odor can boost purchasing behavior in a second-hand store—this time in a larger sample, using a fully counterbalanced design, in a pre-registered study. Second, assessing the effectiveness of another cleanliness priming control condition (citrus odor) unrelated to the products at hand, to test hypotheses from a hedonic vs. utilitarian model. Third, combining questionnaire data tapping into psychological processes with registered sales. The results (316 questionnaires, 6781 registered transactions) showed that fresh laundry odor significantly increased the amount of money spent by customers compared to the no smell condition, (replication) and compared to citrus odor (extension). Arguably, fresh laundry odor boosts the utilitarian value of the product at (second) hand by making it smell like non-used clothing, ultimately causing customers to purchase far greater amounts in this sustainable setting.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals