Boost sales in retail spaces by creating the right atmosphere with music

As the school year begins in the New York Metro area, you may have spent some time in the past month shopping for school clothes. If you were shopping for teens, your ears may have been assaulted by pounding dance music in certain stores.

But even if the music is loud, if the store sound system was designed properly, you should still be able to hold a conversation in front of the fitting rooms or at the register. That’s the difference between relying on an experienced audiovisual designer who understands how to effectively use audio in a retail environment to encourage sales and create the right vibe, versus hiring a firm that provides cookie-cutter installations without getting to know you and your customers.

On-Brand Music, More Sales

A research report from Soundtrack, recently reported by Forbes, found that:

• Playing on-brand music increased sales by more than 37% compared to playing other music
• Brand-fit background music increased the time spent in stores by 42.24% compared to no music

Another study from MRC Data found that 84% of shoppers notice background music.

It’s not just our years of observation or our gut instinct as music lovers and AV professionals: Research shows the right music boosts your brand and increases retail sales.

Slow or Fast?

In the Forbes interview, Soundtrack CEO Ola Sars also talked about how the tempo of music affects sales. Faster music makes shoppers move quickly. Customers experience the sense that time is moving quickly. They might feel rushed to make purchase decisions.

You might believe fast music works against a retailer’s goals. But that’s not always the case. Lower-priced stores rely on high volume and tons of foot traffic.

It brings another shade of meaning to the phrase “fast fashion,” when you think of retailers with low-priced, on-trend clothing. The goal is to get people in and out of the store quickly, ideally leaving with shopping bags full of impulse purchases in their arms.

On the other hand, luxury retailers want people to slow down and savor the experience, taking time to consider pricier purchases.

When Dara AV installed a speaker system at Kalifano in American Dream Mall in New Jersey, we wanted to contribute to the modern ambiance while enabling guests to have conversations with the knowledgeable sales team.

Kalifano sells high-end home décor, including crystals, minerals and recycled metal art. The gallery’s displays are breathtaking and unique. When shoppers step into the store, they often aren’t sure what to make of it, but they’re quickly swept up in the eclectic designs. Life-size metal sculptures, also seen on display throughout the mall, sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

Music volumes stay low and the store music is soft and calming. The high-quality sound fits the atmosphere for the luxury retailer and sends the message that you stepped into a special place. With roughly 450 stores competing for people’s attention at American Dream, it’s important for stores to set themselves apart, and creating ambiance with the right audio is one way to do it.

Choose the Right Loudspeakers

The sound quality is just as important as the type of music playing in a retail environment. Great sound in a retail environment requires commercial loudspeakers. Proper speaker placement and tuning, with volume adjustments based on the time of day, can ensure that music isn’t too loud when a store is empty and that people can hear it even if the store is crowded.

Aesthetics are also important, especially in stores that are looking to create an on-brand experience in every way.

We chose in-ceiling speakers for Kalifano, painted to an exact match to the ceiling. Most people barely notice them, nestled between rows of track lighting that showcases the metallic art and precious minerals and gemstones on display throughout the store.

On the other hand, a store that wants to create a nightclub atmosphere to appeal to younger shoppers might want larger speakers to deliver in-your-face sound. Of course, even then, music volumes should be lower near the registers, where it helps sales if store associates can hear customers and vice versa.

Understand Music Rights and Permission

When a small business owner or a retail store manager first delves into an audio upgrade or starts thinking about a store sound system, there’s a lot to consider. Many people don’t realize you can’t just connect your Spotify playlist or pull out an old pile of CDs. Even if that music is on-brand for your store, you need the rights to play it publicly in a commercial environment.

Playing music without the appropriate rights can lead to fines and penalties. These can range from $750 per violation up to $30,000. If ASCAP or BMI files a lawsuit against you for copyright infringement and the court decides you played copyrighted music intentionally without a license, penalties can increase to $150,000.

It’s easy and affordable to get a business music license, so it’s not worth the risk to skip this step before you power up your new store sound system.  

Choose the Right Integrator for Your Retail Sound System

Whether you’re outfitting a small store or a big-box retail outlet, you want to work with a commercial AV installer that understands the importance of music in retail spaces and will specify a system that meets your needs and your budget.

Most commercial audio systems are designed to play for 10 hours or more, every day. Systems designed for homes can’t keep up.

Your integrator should understand your customers and your market and be able to share examples of successful retail installations.

You want someone who can provide a service contract and can help you if your system goes down.

You also want an integrator who works with a wide range of brands so they can specify and install a system that meets your needs. Every store is different and a cookie-cutter installation won’t deliver the sound quality people expect today.

Dara AV has been designing and installing retail audio systems in top shopping centers like the Staten Island Mall for nearly two decades. You can trust us to create a system that will last.

FAQs

Hear what New York and New Jersey business owners like you are asking about retail sound systems.

How to play music in a retail store?

To install a commercial audio system in your retail store, work with a trusted integrator with experience in competitive retail markets. They should design and install a loudspeaker system based on high-quality commercial components. Before you begin playing music on your new audio system, make sure you have the appropriate licensing rights to play music in a business environment.

What is a commercial audio system? 

A commercial audio system is a sound system that uses higher-end components that are built to last. Frequently installed in retail outlets, corporate environments, restaurants, bars, hotels and other public places, commercial audio systems can contribute to the atmosphere within a business.  

What is the No. 1 brand in speakers?

The best loudspeakers for commercial applications depend on your specific needs and budget. Some top brands include Bose, Community Professional, Sonos, and JBL.