Look out for aromatic marketing at a mall near you. Corporations and retail gurus are homing in on the fragrances that send you reaching for your wallet.

Footlocker may soon break out the scented candles. A study financed by Nike found most people are more willing to purchase shoes—and pay a higher price—if the room smells like flowers.

Real estate agents butter up potential homebuyers with the smell of freshly baked treats. Wendy Allen, a Century 21 agent in Ann Arbor, Michigan, says she often bakes a pie or cookies just before an open house. "The scent gives everybody a good feeling," she says. "It smells like home."

Gamblers at the Las Vegas Hilton Casino spent 50 percent more time playing slot machines when the space was perfumed with a floral scent than when it smelled like an everyday casino. The stronger the fragrance, the longer individuals gambled.

Wonder why Chanel is so expensive? In one study, men rated unattractive women 20 percent more favorably when the room was spritzed with a pleasant fragrance.

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