Music and consumption experience: a review

Purpose – The purpose of this review is to examine the influence of music on consumption experience and explore the relationships between musical variables and consumer responses in the context of retailing. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the review of studies conducted over last 30 years, empirical and conceptual, dealing with a large number of music‐related variables and their impact on various dimensions of consumption experience. Findings – The studies report that music influences consumption experience at cognitive, emotional, and behavioural levels, specifically with regard to attitudes and perceptions, time and money spend, and moods and feelings, in retail experience. The influence of music is moderated by customer and store profiles, purchase timings, and other ambience factors. Research limitations/implications – The study provides important insights into critical issues related to influence of music, for future research. Practical implications – The research brings out important issues for designing musical environment in the retail stores to influence shopping experience and consumer responses. Originality/value – Based on a critical review of important studies, the present paper proposes a framework to understand the effect of music on consumption experience in retail stores.