I blogged not too long ago about how some consumers think retailers can motivate them to buy based on the sense of smell. I was somewhat skeptical.

But this Los Angeles Times article points out that our sense of scent can help trigger our sense of…shopping? Since different people have different reactions to the same scent, it’s hard to find scents that appeal to everyone.

It can be done, however. Marrying the right scent to the right product is now a $100 million-a-year industry, and it’s growing quickly. Westin Hotels, for example, has developed a “signature scent” that only greets the nose in their properties worldwide.

The founder of the Scent Marketing Institute says 85% of marketing is visual and that “…scent marketing is the last frontier.”

So I’ve rethought my position on scents. If you don’t have the big bucks to pay a Scent Marketing Institute to analyze your merchandise and layout, you certainly can experiment with scents. Candles, cologne, candy and cookie smells come to mind. How about baby powder in a toddlers’ clothing store? Salt water in a surf shop? It would be fun to try.

I’m writing this at a local Starbucks. Now please excuse me while I sip that second frappuccino I really didn’t think I wanted.