Are you the kind of person who hums along to “Jingle Bell Rock” in the supermarket? Does it make you want to fill your cart with cookies and egg nog?
When you hear “Winter Wonderland” at the mall, do you think of sleigh rides and warm nights by the fire? Do you feel excited to start your holiday shopping?
Or are you one of those who wish they’d just play something else – anything else?
Holiday tunes are everywhere this time of year, and the season is far from over. But as we listen to “Frosty the Snowman” for the third time in a single day, it’s fair to wonder: does all this holiday cheer help retailers make more sales, or help us enjoy shopping more?
Christmas Tunes – The Good and The Bad
Music and other sensory experiences have a powerful effect on our subconscious, changing our mood. When we hear music we like, we feel good, and that translates to positive feelings about the store we’re in. We’re more apt to like the selection of products and the sales staff. The same is true if we hear music that triggers positive memories, like past holidays with family or special traditions. When we hear music that makes us happy, we’re more likely to leave with shopping bags full of purchases.
Through our research, we have found that these positive feelings don’t just encourage customers to spend more on the spot – they leave good memories of the brand and the shopping experience that also promote long-term loyalty. With Christmas music, the theory is that people feel good when they hear familiar holiday tunes. But in my experience, Christmas music doesn’t always have the desired effect.
Some people genuinely love holiday songs and the “Christmas spirit” they inspire. But others—not so much. Christmas simply isn’t part of many people’s culture or traditions, and the music can feel overbearing. Some people have negative feelings or memories that make them dread the holiday season. And some people just don’t care for “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” Even the Bruce Springsteen version.
This means that while Christmas music might instill good feelings that make some people shop more, it is bound to irritate others. When customers are irritated, they form negative impressions. They leave the store sooner, spend less, and are less likely to come back. Balancing these two competing customer reactions can be tricky, to say the least.
Sometimes, Less Is Best
Another factor can contribute to negative customer experiences around Christmas music: It’s repetitive. There are only so many holiday tunes. If you’re a retail employee, you could be listening to the store’s Christmas playlist for six straight weeks. First you’re “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and then “Baby it’s Cold Outside,” and so on through three dozen or so songs. And then they repeat, and repeat and repeat until you’re ready to scream.
According to research, this is entirely predictable. When we like a song, we enjoy it even more when we hear it again. But then, at some point, we’ve had enough, and our enjoyment starts to drop. With each repeated playing, we like it even less.
This affects customers who may enjoy Christmas music at first, only to grow weary and annoyed as December 25th approaches. But the employees are a bigger problem, because annoyed employees will have a hard time delivering a positive experience and promoting positive emotions in customers.
Interestingly, it’s been reported that the trend is toward playing less holiday music, not more. Wal-Mart, for example, began mixing holiday tunes into its in-store playlist in mid-November. Its plan was to increase the ratio of holiday songs until Black Friday, when it would play nothing else. But then, Wal-Mart said it would gradually scale backon the Christmas music, playing less and less until it stops altogether on December 26th. This approach seems to me to strike a good balance – it puts people in the holiday spirit, but doesn’t force it on them. And employees get a respite too.
If you’re one of those who like a little holiday music while you shop, there’s still plenty of it. And if you don’t – well, perhaps that’s one of the benefits of doing your shopping online.
Do you enjoy hearing Christmas music while you shop? Do you think it makes you buy more? Share your experiences in the comments section below.
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Colin Shaw is the founder and CEO of Beyond Philosophy, one of the world’s leading Customer experience consultancy & training organizations. Colin is an international author of six bestselling books and an engaging keynote speaker.
Follow Colin Shaw on Twitter @ColinShaw_CX