The Impact of Music Genres on Charity Retail - Our Findings

Charity shops have never been more vital - but unfortunately, have also never faced more challenges. With rising costs, increased competition, and increased pressure to maximise every square foot of store space, retailers are looking for innovative ways to improve customer experience and drive revenue.

Background music is already a proven tool in mainstream retail and hospitality. But in charity retail - where audiences are broader, their motivations are driven by their values, and store environments differ dramatically - its impact has never been properly studied.

That’s why we are excited to launch our new research: Songs That Sell: The Impact of Music in Charity Stores.

Let’s take a look at our main findings.

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The research.

To investigate the impact of music in a charity shop environment, we worked with the Milngavie store in Glasgow to test whether different background music genres - pop, classical, and jazz - would influence:

• Total sales
  
  
• Average customer spend
  
  
• Staff mood
  
  
• Customer engagement and atmosphere

The core question:
Would changing the music actually change behaviour?

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Headline findings.

• Across the 21-day period, jazz music delivered the highest average daily sales - significantly higher than pop music.
• Classical and jazz music also noticeably improved staff mood and created a calmer, more welcoming environment for customers.
• Pop music, by contrast, produced the lowest sales and elicited no customer feedback.

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Why it works.

Behavioural research shows that music subtly shapes how we shop. Key factors include:

1. Mood and energy.

Low-tempo music relaxes customers and encourages browsing.

2. “Fit” with the environment.

Music that feels like the right “fit” for the audience and location enhances the customer experience.

3. Emotional contagion.

When staff feel calmer and more focused, their interactions change, and customers notice.

In our study with DEBRA, jazz and classical music aligned with all three of these drivers.

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Staff feedback.

As part of the study, we kept in close contact with DEBRA staff to hear how they felt about the varying styles of music and how they influenced the atmosphere. Across the three weeks, store staff described the jazz and classical playlists as:

• “Calming and relaxing”
  
  
• “A better fit for our customers”
  
  
• “Good for productivity”

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Observed behaviour.

During the 3-week study, store staff were also asked to observe customer behaviour and the general atmosphere and regularly report back to us. Their feedback included:

• Customers lingered longer in the store
• Customers browsed more closely through stock
• Customers commented on the music far more (than before the study began)
• The shop felt calmer and more welcoming
• Customer-staff interactions increased

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The Impact on Sales.

Over the 21-day test, the store recorded £6,045.33 in total sales. Breaking this down by genre revealed a clear pattern:

Mean daily sales (per genre).

• Jazz: £379.73
  
  
• Classical: £309.58
  
  
• Pop: £228.56
  
  

Jazz music produced the highest average daily sales, followed by classical, with pop producing the lowest in-store sales.

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What Our Research Means for Retailers

Our results highlight something powerful:

Music can directly influence sales performance - without changing stock, pricing, layout, or staffing.

For charity retailers, where margins matter and store experience is vital, this is a high-impact, low-cost opportunity.

For the broader retail sector, it reinforces that music shouldn’t be left to chance or generic playlists; expertise should be sought to implement a strategic music solution that’s designed around the business.

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Practical takeaways for retailers.

1. Consider what music “fits” the environment and customers.

Genres like jazz and classical aligned well with this shop’s older, more affluent demographic. Different stores may require different approaches.

2. Use low-tempo, relaxing music to support browsing.

It’s proven to increase dwell-time and encourage discovery-led purchasing.

3. Avoid default “radio-style” pop playlists.

They rarely influence perception, mood, or spending.

4. Treat music as a brand signal.

Music is one of the quickest ways to express who you are and what you represent.

5. Test and optimise.

Small changes can lead to surprisingly big results.

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Our charity retail study shows that background music doesn’t just create an ambience - it’s a strategic lever that directly influences how customers feel and how they spend. In this instance, jazz music proved to have a significant impact, delivering the strongest sales performance and creating the most positive store atmosphere.

For retailers - charity or otherwise - the message is clear:

Get your soundtrack right, and your customers will stay longer, feel better, and spend more.