The Psychology of Sound - How Music Shapes Buying Behavior

You walk into a store and hear pleasant, soothing music. Even if you don’t consciously notice it, something in your behavior begins to shift – you slow down, feel more relaxed, and start browsing more. It’s not a coincidence. It’s the result of sound psychology, a tool now widely used not just in physical retail, but increasingly in e-commerce as well.

Table of Contents

Sound and emotions – what science says

Music affects the brain’s limbic system, which regulates emotion and motivational behavior. The right tempo, key, and instrumentation can:

increase the time a customer spends in the store (by up to 15-20%),
raise the average basket value,
strengthen brand associations and customer loyalty,
reduce stress and improve the overall shopping experience.

A study conducted at the University of Leicester showed that classical music in a grocery store increased the sale of premium products, while faster music accelerated decision-making in fashion retail.

Music in online sales – yes, it works there too!

In e-commerce, music isn’t playing in the background like it does in a physical store, but it can still accompany the user on a website, in ads, product videos, or even in a mobile app. A well-chosen soundscape helps create an emotional atmosphere that captures attention and improves conversion rates.

For example, an animated product video with light, well-synced music tends to generate higher engagement than the same video with no audio at all.

How to choose music that sells?

That’s where tools like Closer Music come in. It’s a platform offering professionally licensed music tailored for marketing purposes. With a powerful filtering system, you can find music based on:

industry (fashion, tech, food, education),
emotional tone (joy, trust, curiosity, nostalgia),
channel (e-commerce, social media, TV, or product videos).

This simplifies the selection process and eliminates the risk of using the wrong type of music – the sound becomes fully aligned with your brand’s visual and emotional voice.

Real-world examples

Natural cosmetics store – ambient background music on the homepage increased session time by 26% and reduced bounce rate.
Online course platform – uplifting intro music in video ads led to an 18% increase in YouTube ad CTR.
Fashion e-commerce – energetic music in a video campaign boosted replays and viewer retention.

Conclusion: Sound sells – even if you don’t notice it

Music isn’t just background – it’s an active participant in the purchasing journey. If you want your brand to be memorable and drive more completed transactions, it’s worth investing in the right sound. Platforms like Closer Music offer a library of tracks that don’t just sound good – they genuinely support sales.