Store Soundtracks Music to Shoppers' Ears

That jingle you hear is the sound of money as every enterprise now seems to have its own sound track.

From Trish Crawford, Toronto Star:

It all began when Muzak Holdings LLC, a private company in South Carolina, opened for business in 1934 providing easy listening music – often instrumental – as background sound.

Everything was kicked up a notch in the mid-'90s when music became an integral part of the marketing machine for retailers.

"When it works, it's a powerful tool," says Toronto consultant John Torella, vice-president of J.C. Williams Group. "When it doesn't, it's annoying."

"Stores don't just play tunes, they must have a 'music strategy,'" he says. "If I'm running into Mac's, I don't want leisurely symphonic strains."

Music helps make the experience of parting with your hard-earned money more pleasurable, he says. "The more comfortable you are in the shopping experience, the longer you'll stay and the more you will buy."

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