Discovering why people buy particular goods and services is the task of every marketer. Researchers have discovered that a variety of influences affect individual buying behaviors. Perception, the meaning one assigns to information gathered by the five senses, has a powerful effect on consumer opinions about a product. Perceptions can be generated based on sizes, colors, and shapes, or even by a consumer's prior experiences with similar stimuli-perhaps even by odors.

Although the tangible aspects of goods can influence consumer behavior, there are less tangible aspects that may affect people's opinions of a product or service. While marketers have long suspected that subliminal messages-such as ones flashed rapidly in ads-could have an impact on the buying behaviors of consumers, research has been largely inconclusive. However, researchers may have found a new and subtle way to help foster positive attitudes towards products-and it's all about scents. The Research Center for Consumer Psychology and Marketing has found that odors can have significant positive or negative effects on consumer perceptions.