Tempo: May 2025
In the spring of 2024, as part of the EU project Music360, our Marketing team at the School of Business and Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam set out to explore the value of music in retail environments. Collaborating with a large national retailer and project partners such as Dutch music rights organizations BUMA and SENA, and music tech company BMAT, we conducted a large-scale field experiment involving 140 stores. We performed a study to investigate the impact of music tempo on sales and employee experience.
Our findings revealed an interesting paradox:
- Slow-tempo music has a positive impact on sales:
Slow music increased sales among members of the retailer’s loyalty program. This suggests that music can indeed influence purchasing behavior—but its effects may be particularly strong for loyal customers who are already engaged with the brand. - Fast-tempo music had a positive effect on employees:
Stores that played fast-tempo music reported higher employee job satisfaction and improved communication between staff and customers.
This paradox presents an interesting challenge for retailers: should they prioritize customer spending or employee well-being? Or is there a way to strike a balance between the two? To answer this question, we are launching a follow-up study to determine whether there is a “sweet spot” in music tempo that optimally benefits both groups. We have now set up three groups of stores, each playing fast, medium, or slow-tempo music, to further explore these dynamics.
Could medium-tempo music offer a balanced approach that benefits both employee satisfaction and customer spending? Or does medium-tempo music only benefit either sales or employees?
Stay tuned as we continue to uncover new insights into the complex relationship between music, customers, and employees in retail environments!
Music360 