The golden quarter, the all important run up to Christmas, is the make or break period for many UK retailers. With footfall increasing, tills ringing, and competition at its fiercest, every detail of the in-store experience matters. One of the most overlooked, yet powerful, drivers of sales during this period is background music.
Here at Background Sounds, we specialise in helping retailers create the right soundscape to maximise customer spend and elevate brand experience without the expense of a PRS PPL music licence.
Our music is 100% royalty-free, meaning it can be played legally without a PRS or PPL licence. This saves retailers hundreds (sometimes thousands) of pounds per year, without compromising on quality. Even better, with our monthly cancel-anytime subscription, you only pay for the music service when you actually need it. Flexible, simple, and cost-effective.
So, let’s explore why music is more than just festive decoration; it’s a crucial sales and marketing tool.
1. Background Music Creates Atmosphere and Festive Emotion
A shop without music feels transactional. At Christmas, shoppers expect warmth, excitement, and festive cheer. The right playlist instantly sets the tone, makes customers feel welcome, and encourages them to linger longer. More dwell time means more purchases.
Research shows that using background music in retail can increase sales by an average of 8% (Audoo & GEMA Music Impact Study). For a retailer in the golden quarter, that uplift can be the difference between meeting or missing seasonal sales targets.
2. The Psychology of Shopper Behaviour
The purpose of playing background music first and foremost is to create a sense of comfort in your customers. Playing music creates a sense of privacy by providing an auditory buffer. Masking the sounds of shuffling feet, movement and to a degree their conversation.
Why is this important? Because the more at ease and relaxed your customers feel, the longer they are likely to browse, and an increase in browsing time has been linked to increased sales.
Consistency in the shopping experience is also key to a customer’s behaviour.
If you are selling Christmas gifts and/or services, combining your displays with festive sounds further enhances the customer experience.
Lastly, playing festive music provides a handy and subtle reminder to your customers of the Christmas gifts they may still need to purchase. Prompting them to look at what you have to buy at that moment, and hopefully buy!
3. Music Reinforces Brand Identity
Your background music is part of your brand. Premium retailers may choose orchestral carols or jazz versions of classics, while fashion chains might go for upbeat, catchy vocal songs. The key is consistency, music that reflects your brand positioning, builds recall, and differentiates your shop from competitors.
With Background Sounds’ royalty-free music, you can reinforce your brand identity without worrying about costly licences or complex legal requirements. Our playlists are curated for different business types, ensuring the soundtrack matches your brand personality and audience.
4. Staff Morale and Service Quality
Background music isn’t just for customers; it impacts your team. Long hours and busy trading days are made easier with the right soundtrack.
A festive yet varied playlist keeps staff motivated and positive, which translates directly into better customer service and higher sales conversions. You can read more about the impact of music on staff productivity and motivation here.
5. Choose Royalty-Free When Cost Is a Factor
When it comes to the golden quarter, retailers should not consider music a “nice-to-have” but instead a powerful sales and marketing tool. Done right, it increases dwell time, increases basket size, supports brand identity, and gives you a competitive edge.
However, not every retailer can afford to pay hundreds to play festive music and that’s where we come in.
Background Sounds has curated a collection of royalty-free Christmas music perfect for creating a festive in-store experience without the headaches of PRS/PPL licences. There’s something for everyone, from classical and instrumental to modern, upbeat and catchy
With our cancel-anytime monthly subscription, you only pay for the service when you need it most, whether that’s just over the Christmas period or all year round.
👉 Monthly Subscription £15 (+vat) cancel anytime
Try Background Sounds for Free
Background music is an important component of your marketing mix, especially in the run-up to Christmas. That’s why we offer all customers the opportunity to try our royalty-free music service for seven days, free of charge.
- Full access to our royalty-free playlists
- No card details required
- Customer support is on hand if you need help getting started
Start your free trial today and experience how royalty-free background music can transform your shop’s atmosphere and sales this Christmas. Sign up here.
Make Music Part of Your Christmas Sales Strategy
This Christmas, don’t leave your soundtrack to chance. Background music is one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways to boost sales, morale, and customer experience. Background Sounds makes it easy, legal, and flexible so you can focus on delighting your customers while we handle the sound.
Get in Touch
Need a little more guidance or want to chat? Get in touch, we’re always happy to chat.
Email support@backgroundsounds.co.uk
Background Sounds is a specialist provider of royalty-free music. Working with small businesses looking to play music without the need to buy a PRS PPL Music Licence.
The service is offered via online streaming and can be accessed when you take a subscription. You can find out all you need to know on our home page here.
