The sound of music

The sound of music

Alison Embrey, Associate Editor

Feb 1, 2004

The sounds emitted from a retail environment can be just as vital to the customer experience as the visuals in the store, making audio an indispensible element in the design of a retail space. Background music can have a subliminal effect on unknowing customers, influencing the speed at which they shop, their willingness to buy and the experience they take out of the store.

"Your hearing is one of your senses, so having music that taps into your senses is just as important as the lighting and the fixtures and the clothing," says Christy Noel, vice president of marketing for Los Angeles-based DMX Music, which has created sound environments for such retailers as American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Coach and Kenneth Cole. "In the competitive environment we know retail is, it's not only just having the best products or the best price, it's really creating a brand experience and creating an environment where you have fans, not just shoppers—people that are loyal to your brand." One of the best ways to do that, Noel says, is through clearly defining your image, brand and target audience with the right in-store music. "You want to create an experience where when you step into it, you know where you are based on the music."

Choosing the right music for a retail space is not as easy as it seems, however, as in-store music can also have a negative effect if not carried out correctly. "Research does show that the right music can keep a customer longer, and if someone is in the store longer, their propensity to buy is greater," Noel says. "We also know that if you have the wrong music for your audience, they may turn around and walk out of your store."

Several factors must be considered in determining the right genre of music for a shopping environment. "There is a clear correlation between in-store audio and buyer behavior," says Ryan Risenmay, communications specialist for audio and video entertainment provider PlayNetwork Inc., Redmond, Wash., which has provided in-store audio for Chico's and Eddie Bauer stores. "Retailers frequently tell us how they see their customers responding positively to great music programs and high-quality sound systems. We also recognize that other factors come into play, such as time of day and the mood of shoppers, so certain music programming strategies such as dayparting—allocating music for certain time segments—and rich mixing of various programs by style, artist, date, etc., can help target music for precisely the right moment."

Sephora USA LLC, a San Francisco-based cosmetics retailer, works with programmers at DMX Music to capture their signature sound. "Cosmetics is a lot of self purchase and is about making people feel better, so we like to have our music be very upbeat, lively and get your feet tapping when you're in the store," says Laurie Bernstein, Sephora's director of retail operations. Sephora, which changes out its playlist quarterly, has one music mix geared toward the younger crowd with a "clubby kind of dance feel to it," and a second moderate mix that's a little bit slower paced for the markets that cater to older clients.

"We consider the music and the sound to be a very important part of the Sephora experience," Bernstein says. "It's kind of a different experience than your typical beauty shopping experience, and we wanted to be sure that we had music that tipped the mood and the vibe in the store the same way."