LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Whether you actively notice or not, you’re being groomed by retailers every single time you shop. Whether it’s holiday music at Macy’s or pop music at Home Depot, it was specifically chosen to influence your buying habits.
Vijaykumar Krishnan Palghat has spent much of his life studying music and theories. He spoke with KNX In Depth to break down how music can influence the retail experience.
“The mind’s associations with classical music is that it’s for the “bourgeoisie” and country music is for the common man,” said Palghat, chair of the marketing department at the Northern Illinois University College of Business
Does that mean you'll go out and buy a hammer or suddenly yearn to go fishing when you hear country music? Probably not, Palghat said. But it does mean that when stores like Nordstrom and Macy's crank up the holiday or classical jams — that you're thinking "high quality" and "exclusive."
Obviously the theory doesn't prove true in all situations, like say at the grocery store or when you're out running errands, but when it comes to retail or shopping for things you might not "need" ... well that's where Palghat said the marketing tactics might get ya.
"If you're in a situation...in Macy's or somewhere shopping, genuinely enjoying the ambiance...if the music is slower, subconsciously you might walk a little slower and shop longer there," he said.
"Similarly if you're in a fast food joint probably you would like the tables [to have higher turnaround], the you would play fast music to get customers out faster, which is good for your business."
Next time you're out in the world, take a moment to focus on what you're hearing, and think about how it may have been perfectly planned to influence your experience!
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