Words About Things

One of the most important things we look for when buying flowers is how they smell. While some flowers are scentless those which we cultivate and give as gifts tend to have pleasant odors and this is part of their appeal. The smell is of course an effective way of attracting pollinators like Bees and other insects but it also attracts humans. Flowers which we find pleasant have surely benefited from being cultivated by humans over the years, becoming more prevalent than they might otherwise have been.

The problem is that people like to buy flowers when have yet to open but it is difficult to tell what they will smell like. The boffins at a well known British supermarket have come up with an ingenious solution to this problem: scratch and sniff packaging. The Telegraph explains the process that went into creating the scratch and sniff panels:

Floral fragrance expert Dr Hazel MacTavish-West and natural perfumer Dr John Heffernan were enlisted to assess the fragrance of open lily flowers. Each component of the fragrance was analysed and then recreated as a fragrance in a bottle… The final step was to encapsulate the fragrance into a print varnish, which is applied to a print label as the final step. The varnish is unscented until you brush your finger across the page, breaking open the capsules and allowing the fragrance to escape.

So now you can tell what your flowers will smell like once they have opened, assuming that the synthetic compound is accurate. I wonder if they will accept returns if the flowers don’t match the scratch and sniff?

Related links:

How does scratch and sniff work?
Save 25% on M&S fresh flowers
Why do flowers smell good?

A lot of time and effort is spent trying to work out how and why we buy in order to get us to part with as much money as possible. They layout in your local supermarket is clearly not haphazard and it’s no coincidence that the sweets and magazines are next to the till. Our decision making patterns are observed and tested so that we can be convinced not only to spend but to spend more often. Ideally (for those doing the selling) we will leave thinking that we have found a great deal or got more than our moneys worth but this isn’t necessarily the case.

We all know that something at eye level is more likely to sell than something that needs to be sought out. We also know that something priced at 99p is supposedly more likely to sell than something for £1. there are however some tricks of the trade which you may not know about:

• The second cheapest wine on the menu is often the bottle with the highest profit margin. This is because most of us want a bargain but don’t want to look cheap so we go for the second cheapest option. For similar reasons the cheapest wine on the menu probably tastes disgusting, what were you expecting cheapskate?

• By adding an extra expensive option to the menu restaurateurs are able to make a high priced option seem cheaper by comparison.

• If items are bundled together (for example a set meal) we find it difficult to work out if we are paying a fair price particularly if the items are not available separately.

• Different size portions are often sold for different prices. This means that those who are hungry will pay more and those who are trying to save money will get a smaller than normal portion. Whilst the customer feels like they are getting more of a choice they still aren’t getting more than their moneys worth.

• Coffee chains like Starbucks sell their drink in confusing sizes like Tall, Grande and Venti but never ‘small’. By taking away the relation between the names and their sizes they are aiming to make us feel like we aren’t getting a small portion or being greedy by having a ‘large’.

• The upper right corner of the menu is apparently where we all look first (eye tracking studies have proven this) so items placed here are given a lot of thought. Often an expensive and fancy option will be placed here, this makes everything else look cheaper and makes sure that this item is not missed.

Retailers are concerned about the possibility of a frugal Christmas despite signs of stabalisation on the high street. Some companies reported rises in sales in September after four months of reduced spending. There is still concern however that some stores will be forced to close for good if they do not do well over the holiday period.

The golden quarter has the ability to make or break. The first quarter of next year will see further distress in the retail sector. I think there will be a few [retailers] coming down with the Christmas decorations.

Retail specialist Robin Knight

A recent survey of consumers found that most intended to spend 15% less than last year on Christmas presents. They expect to spend around £267 on presents and £28 on decorations. Food and drink remains a priority however with an average spend of £182.

One of the most well know names on the high street Marks & Spencer have reported an improvement in sales with the three months to September 2009 only seeing a 0.5 percent drop like-for-like sales from last year. Christmas is a very important time for M&S and a good Christmas would help them to end 2009 on a positive note. Last year they used unprecedented sales to try and lure in hesitant shoppers towards the end of November. They are hoping that their Christmas hampers and other gifts will boost this year’s earnings.

There are always winners and losers when economic times get tough. Whilst some companies struggle others benefit particularly if they offer a cheaper service. So while it is a bad time to be selling pick and mix those who cater for people who are trying to reduce their outgoings are seeing increased sales.

• Discount supermarkets are seeing increased interest from shoppers turning away from the more expensive chains.
• Car hire companies are seeing increased trade from those who are staying within the country rather than going abroad as car rental is a cheaper option than international flights.
• Stores that are focused on disposable fashion, such as Primark are selling more for less. Interestingly mid to high end clothing shops such as All Saints are doing well. It has been suggested that clothing aimed at a niche market is selling better than more middle-of-the-road items.