“The thing is, I don’t want to be sold to when I walk into a store. I want to be welcomed.”
Angela Ahrendts, FORMER SVP OF RETAIL, APPLE INC.
Retail covers so many environments, from car showrooms, shops, boutiques, furniture stores, supermarkets… you name it, it probably sells something. The demographic of customers can be incredibly varied; is the venue very stylistic and targeted at a specific market or is it an open environment where anyone and everyone might be a customer?
Why not just broadcast the radio? In certain circumstances this can be a great idea and can instantly provide ever-changing listening. But it can be interrupted with too much chat that’s difficult to hear, or if it’s a quick service environment adverts may cover the entire duration of your customer’s visit.
Playlists for retail need to align with brand values and the intended customer experience. Carefully selected playlists can enhance customer perception and enhance your brand. Whether it’s daytime classics, electronic dance, current chart or retro funk, all selections are tested in intentionally poor acoustic environments; lots of background noise, small speakers, and ensuring conversation can be heard. Whilst some retail venues have great sound systems, others may not be so fortunate.
Playlists can also be customised for retail events. Perhaps you’re holding a reward card-holder sale preview evening, or you’re hosting a pre-teen birthday party? Or you’re holding an event that ties in with a particular season? Do you run a car showroom with evening viewings for loyal customers?
The selection below is a sample of what works in multiple environments but covers multiple genres. Ideally I would visit your retail venue and align closely with your intentions for the physical premises, be it small luxury boutique with natural materials to trendy clothes stores with digital signage and the very latest technology.
From one-off events to recurring sales, get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat. Don’t forget to check out the related playlists below or take a look at the other venue playlists.
Sample Retail Playlist
Sampler: Retail
▶ DIRECT LINK
ℹ DESCRIPTION
Retail Venues. Car and furniture showrooms, boutiques, shops, bakeries, jewellers, florists… anywhere that sells something.
(See also Venue Sampler: Travel, The Bar By Day, Mindspace, Seasonal Playlists)
⏱ LENGTH
30 tracks, 2 hours 0 minutes
📅 INFO LAST UPDATED
4th February 2021
Related Playlists
Sampler: Travel
▶ DIRECT LINK
ℹ DESCRIPTION
Travel Venues. Airlines: first class lounges, aircraft boarding, in-flight. Waiting areas. Travel agents: in-store and promotional.
⏱ LENGTH
25 tracks, 2 hours 1 minute
📅 INFO LAST UPDATED
14th January 2021
The Bar By Day
▶ DIRECT LINK
ℹ DESCRIPTION
Lounging, brunch, coffee, afternoon relaxation in the bar. If I owned a bar, I’d want to hear these upbeat tunes during the day. Originally this playlist was called “Tracks I wished Radio 2 would play.”
⏱ LENGTH
87 tracks, 5 hours 52 minutes
📅 INFO LAST UPDATED
15th November, 2020
Mindspace
▶ DIRECT LINK
ℹ DESCRIPTION
A selection of tracks to give your mind space to wander and float. Not just ambient tracks but hopefully tracks you can relax to.
⏱ LENGTH
25 tracks, 2 hours 6 minutes
📅 INFO LAST UPDATED
9th December, 2020
Christmas
▶ DIRECT LINK
ℹ DESCRIPTION
New Christmas songs, classics, covers and remixes. Start your Christmas party or cosy up by the fire. Something for everyone.
⏱ LENGTH
44 tracks, 2 hours 24 minutes
📅 INFO LAST UPDATED
14th November, 2020
