Gaby
Shoppers spend 10% more when music is playing in the store. However, researchers note that this effect only kicks in from Monday to Thursday.
Many readers might recall instances when they headed to the supermarket just to grab some bread and milk, only to find themselves at the checkout with a full cart of items they hadn’t planned to buy. And once home, counting their cash after this “quick trip for bread,” they wondered, “How did I end up with so much?”
Sound familiar? Think it’s just bad luck? Not quite; it’s actually the clever work of supermarket marketing strategies. Most people are aware of the enticing discounts, but there’s another effective tactic that encourages more purchases.
The Soothing Music Effect in Marketing
A new study shows that if you want to focus on buying only the essentials, you might want to bring earplugs next time. Researchers found that shoppers spend 10% more when music is playing in the store.
This “trap” only works for consumers from Monday to Thursday. The effect is linked to the fact that shoppers are usually tired during the workweek. As researchers explained to the Daily Mail, the music playing in the store lifts their spirits, leading them to spend more.
During the study, scientists assessed the impact of music on sales across different days of the week. The research team tracked purchases made in a supermarket from 7 AM to 11 PM, analyzing the actions of 150,000 shoppers who made purchases with and without music playing.
According to the study’s author, Dr. Karl-Philipp Albom, people often lack time during the week. That’s why many do their grocery shopping on their way home from a long day at work.
Pleasant music has a calming psychological effect. It helps shoppers unwind after a tough day, causing them to unconsciously buy more than they intended.
The Musical Trick Doesn’t Work on Weekends
The approach of the weekend in itself is relaxing. Shoppers are more focused on their upcoming break from the workweek and feel happier because of it. Therefore, as Dr. Albom notes, the musical accompaniment in supermarkets from Friday to Sunday has a significantly lesser impact on them.
Moreover, researchers believe that listening to music in supermarkets on weekends may actually lead to fewer purchases. This is because weekends are already busy for people. Thus, during this time, music doesn’t soothe; it can even create additional stress. Consumers on weekends feel more energetic and less susceptible to such subconscious marketing.
So now you know that it’s not just flashy ads and great discounts that allow marketers to manipulate shoppers’ minds. Even the soothing music playing in supermarkets is aimed at increasing consumer spending.
