London-based AlternativesFinder.com, a startup aimed at providing customers with reliable and often cheaper alternatives to various popular brands and products from all markets, has released its latest infographic illustrating the tools and techniques used by marketers to subliminally target – and sometimes trick – consumers into making purchase decisions.

For instance, floral and citrus scents can make one spend more time in the store and alert the senses resulting in consumers buying more, explains founder Kate Stephens.  “Real estate agents are already deploying this trick to unsuspecting buyers; the smell of freshly baked goods is said to encourage prospects to buy property during ocular visits,” she elaborates. Scent isn’t the only sense used by marketers – as seen in the below infographic. Colors are known to evoke emotions and that’s why most sale signs are in red – to indicate urgency – and most insurance logos are in blue – to evoke trust. While scent and sight are among the more obvious techniques, there seem to be some rather unrelated factors influencing purchasing. Stephens cites the example of this study published in the Harvard Business Review that shows participants who sat on hard chairs offered 28 percent less than people sitting in soft, cushioned chairs. Bottom line: hard chairs made people harder.