Rhythmic melodies keep us in stores longer

Kamil Kaczkowski, psychology graduate of the Wrocław faculty of SWPS, as part of his thesis investigated the influence of music and scent on consumer behaviour. Under the supervision of social psychologist Dr. Jarosław Kulbat he record behaviour of visitors of a store selling ceramic tiles and bathroom equipment.

 

The study showed that the presence of music prolongs the stay in the store. Rhythmic melodies are most effective in encouraging customers to spend time in the store. While they were playing, more than 60 percent of customers went to the second floor, and with the accompaniment of non-rhythmic music and without music the number did not exceed 40 percent.

 

"There may be several explanations of this phenomenon" - said Dr. Jarosław Kulbat. Studies show that rhythmic music determines the speed of movement and makes our movement more organized.

 

"While listening to rhythmic music we quite often feel the need to combine it with the movement by tapping fingers or nodding. Conversely, our activities have a rhythmic nature, for example walking" - explained study author Kamil Kaczkowski.

 

"Perhaps rhythmic music is simply more pleasant. It induces a better mood, and people in a better mood stay longer in the shop" - said Dr. Kulbat. He emphasised, however, that this aspect was not a subject of the study.

 

The study author did not manipulate the volume of presented music. "It the same as the volume of the sound broadcasting system, which the store usually used" - added the scientist.

 

The study also showed the relationship between the presence of rhythmic music and a tendency of customers to talk to personnel. "In the case of rhythmic music, almost 37 percent customers received the store offer from the sellers, while in the case of non-rhythmic music or the lack of music it was 22 percent. It was a double-digit growth of interest" - he explained.

 

The factor that discouraged observed customers from entering the second floor of the shop was the scent. Only 30 percent of respondents came up the stairs after intense floral aromas were sprayed. In the absence of the scent, almost 60 percent have decided to visit the second floor.

 

"It surprised us. We expected that under the influence of pleasant smell, as was the case with music, people would enter the upper floor" - admitted Dr. Kulbat.

 

He said that previous research showed that subtle scent had a greater impact on customers than the intense scent. Another important question was also whether using floral scent in the store that sold tiles was a reasonable idea.

 

"We did not, however, survey opinions, so the interpretation of the result is not clear. It is a starting point for further research" - admitted Dr. Kulbat.

 

The study lasted six weeks. The measurement of time spent in the store was conducted for 240 customers. Readiness to visit distant parts of the store and initiate interactions with staff was estimated based on observations of 1515 people. For the purpose of the experiment, the scent previously used in the store was sprayed through a diffuser, and the music, chosen by professional musicians and classified as rhythmic or non-rhythmic, was played by the store broadcasting system.

 

Source: PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland