Yesterday, the company
unveiled
Commercaire pheromone, its synthetic compound that mimics the maternal sense of comfort piped to
children when they're crying or otherwise unhappy.
Filtered into a store through air ducts or a small fan under
the cashier's desk, for example, the odorless substance is meant to relax customers so they stay longer, and buy
more.
However, Nigel Malkin, the upstart firm's director of development, is quick to note that the pheromone
will only put customers at ease, not force them to do anything against their will.
"It doesn't put people into a
buying frenzy or anything like that," he said. "This will just make them feel more relaxed and give them a fond
memory of the environment they've been exposed to. That can breed customer loyalty."
Bookmarks