It is during October that we hear the familiar sound of Jingle Bells as we shop. Many people roll their eyes; however, according to Adweek, some retailers claim customers buy more when they hear holiday music.
Christmas music seems to be like Marmite – you either love it or want to hit your head against a display counter as soon as you hear it. Victoria Wilson, a music psychology researcher, conducted a study to show the effects Christmas music has on our brains.
The facts
Research over the years has shown that 23 percent of people dread holiday music, with 36 percent had left a store after hearing Christmas music; however, other research has shown that Christmas music in the right balance can improve the mood of shoppers. The general advice is to stick to a mixture of holiday and regular mix to keep both consumers and workers happy.
According to some psychologists, Christmas music can damage employees and affect their ability and enthusiasm to meet customer service standards. For retail workers, their days are spent listening to the same playlist day after day. While shoppers can leave the store after purchasing their items, employees spend three months of the year living in frustration. It is important for shop owners to provide a mixture of music to help keep their employees engaged.
Workers often have to tune out music to enable them to perform their jobs, which can leave them feeling exhausted. This impacts the consumers’ shopping experience and leaves them less likely to purchase items.
Is in-store music important?
Many companies benefit from using in-store media to ensure they keep clients, as it can make the purchasing process a more enjoyable experience. Music and other in store media can be arranged through Moodmedia and other specialists.
It is estimated that 30 percent of sales are generated through holiday spending, so it is no surprise that retailers use in-store media to create festive environments. While some people hate holiday music, with the right balance it can make a difference to the shopping experience.
It seems that holiday music will continue and that retailers could benefit from using in-store music relevant to their product ranges. For all the holiday music haters out there, we suggest a pair of noise-canceling headphones.