Guidelines from scientific research

Touch and taste often coincide, but smell can also add a dimension to the sense of touch. Make sure that the scent in your store matches the experience of touching the products (e.g., the scent and the material are congruent), so that the product that is touched by the customer is evaluated more positively. For instance, a “manly” scent may be diffused in a rough and rugged interior to enforce the masculine experience.

Also in online shopping, it is important to pay attention to the customers’ needs for multi-sensorial perceptions. Try to complement useful information with sufficient visual elements. Make use of the need for tactile information by carefully describing aspects such as softness, contact temperature, etc. 

Multi-sensorial online product descriptions can become extremely important in times of strong competition, where products often cannot be differentiated using their basic characteristics alone.

The presence of a pleasant, subtle scent can improve customer reactions to a store in a relatively cheap and effective way. Be mindful, however, that a scent should not be too present in a space. It will indeed be more effective if it can influence the customer in an unconscious way.

Surprise customers by diffusing, in what was initially a scentless store, a suitable odor. Note that it is important that there is congruence (suitability & coherence) between the selected scent and the product category on offer, as this may influence the customer’s decision process. By diffusing a congruent scent in the store, the retailer may elicit positive customer reactions without removing the effect of other sensory stimuli such as for instance the visual ones. Research shows that this positive reaction in turn strengthens the brand image. However, be mindful to avoid the presence of a scent which lacks association with the store as it might elicit negative emotions and behaviors.

Ambient scents can influence the spatial perception of customers in a store environment. Diffusing a ‘warm’ scent (e.g., cinnamon or chamomile), versus a ‘cooler’ one (e.g. mint), generates the impression of a rather crowded space.

The overall experience of a physical store can be negatively influenced by playing very loud music.  By contrast, music that is too soft may induce the feeling of an (unwanted) obligation to interact with the sales staff. Search for the right balance (and thus the right volume of the music) to influence and achieve the customer experience sought by the retailer.

Playing recognisable music (top hits, classics, etc.) or music the target customer base already appreciates positively influences the visit to a store. Thus, try to keep the visitor longer by using this type of music. Also pay attention to the tempo of the music as this one influences the time a customer spends in the store - see guideline ‘18’.

Influence the speed at which customers move in your physical store by playing on the tempo of the instrumental background music. Movements are clearly slower when a low tempo is used (72 BPM) and faster when music with a higher tempo is played (>= 92 BPM). Music with a slow tempo can reduce the pace at which the customer moves through the store, which will increase his/her time spent in the store. This in turn creates an intention to buy more, and more unplanned items. 

Make sure that the shopping experience stays optimal (and the mood of the customer stays positive) by playing slow music when the store is crowded and more upbeat music when it is not. Also try to use music to minimalize any possible negative emotions generated by such a crowded store. 

These guidelines can also be used in shopping malls, where the use of the adequate music tempo can push customers to spend more time in the walkways and also increase their interest in services such as the catering facilities, etc.

The two customer feelings of excitement and pleasure are most often associated with the tempo of a selected music (see guidelines ‘17’ and ‘18’). You may further positively stimulate these emotions by choosing music with a high tempo and associating it with the use of warm colours (such as red) in the physical store. By contrast, lower-tempo music works best in combination with cooler colours (such as blue). 

The combination of colour and music is also important in online retailing. Please note, however, that in an online environment, emotions tend to be more positively influenced by cooler colours, which is clearly different from the approach in a physical store.

In-store music should be consistent with a retailer’s story. Consider music as an important brand characteristic translating its specific image.

By stimulating the visitor in the physical store with music that supports the image of the brand (and thus the idea a visitor has of this one), the relationship between the customer and the brand is reinforced. Thus, to strengthen the brand positioning, try to make an appropriate link between your brand, the physical store and the music played in this one (as it is an important aspect to clarify your brand image). This interplay is especially important during a first visit to a store (by someone without prior expectations/experiences).