Content area
Full Text
ABSTRACT
Consumers spend more time shopping and expect value-added options like background melodious songs, ample car parking, good ambience, prayer halls and rest rooms. The main concern is whether these facilities prolong consumers stay in the store and increase business sales. This research article is about the relationship between the background music tempo and the duration of consumers' stay in the stores. Data from 177 respondents were received and analyzed. The results show that the tempo of music is significantly affecting the emotional state of the consumers; fast tempo music increasing the pleasure and arousal levels. Slow tempo music has consumers stay longer in restaurants and supermarkets. However, the tempo of music does not play a significant role in manipulating the duration consumers spend in a book store and apparel shop.
Keywords: Background Music; Arousal; Consumer Behavior; Shopping Experience; StimulusOrganism-Response (S-O-R) Model.
1. INTRODUCTION
In the last twenty years, studies concerning the effects of music genre, tempo and rhythm on consumer behavior have increased. Researchers have used different music genres, tempos and rhythms as background music to study consumer behavior. These studies show consumers associate types of music with certain products and making choice of a product over another, or with particular spending patterns and determining the spending on the same type of product. Milliman (1986) found fast tempo background music significantly influence consumer behavior in restaurants. North & Hargreaves (2008) found music and song lyrics could affect human behavior. In 1993, Areni & Kim studied consumer behavior in wine purchasing. They compared the effect of classical music with Top Forty background music on consumer behavior and concluded classical music causes consumers choose more expensive wine products. Yalch and Spangenberg (1993) found classical music evokes purchasing higher priced merchandise. However, not all kinds of background music affect consumer behavior. Only when melodies/ music and love songs are played in florist help sales; pop music does not (Guéguen & Jacob, 2010). In "Musical Fit and Willingness to Pay for Utilitarian Products among University Students", participants were indifferent to purchasing utilitarian products regardless of the type of music or no music at all (Yeoh, 2010). When slow tempo background music is played consumers shop longer and spend more (Milliman, 1982). Patrons at the restaurant are...