❗Let's close the gap: We still need your help to raise $40,000 by April 1. Donate now

Ever wonder why you bought that ugly sweater?

Molly Wood, Mukta Mohan, and Bridget Bodnar Nov 24, 2015
HTML EMBED:
COPY
Stores and malls make a conscious effort to create an aesthetic that draws in customers. John Macdougall/Getty Images

Ever wonder why you bought that ugly sweater?

Molly Wood, Mukta Mohan, and Bridget Bodnar Nov 24, 2015
Stores and malls make a conscious effort to create an aesthetic that draws in customers. John Macdougall/Getty Images
HTML EMBED:
COPY

Ever wonder why you bought that ugly sweater? It turns out there’s a science to making sales, and it’s called “retail atmospherics.” The scent, lighting, wall color, layout, and music of a store all have a significant influence on how customers feel and how much they spend. Some of it is even a little counterintuitive like wanting to buy more from a snooty salesperson. Eleanor Smith wrote about it for The Atlantic.  

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.