Study finds 38% of Kiwis would leave a store playing bad music

A new consumer study from OneMusic NZ has found that poor music choices are pushing customers out of New Zealand businesses, with 38 percent of respondents saying they have walked out of a store or venue because of the soundtrack.

The report, Sound Decisions: Music’s Impact on Consumer Behaviour, was produced by OneMusic NZ in partnership with Inside Retail and surveyed 1,250 consumers across New Zealand and Australia in retail, hospitality and service sectors.

The findings point to clear business risks tied to music choices, with 18 percent of New Zealanders saying they had stopped visiting a venue altogether due to a poor sound environment.

The report also found strong gains for businesses that get their playlists right. Forty eight percent of Kiwi consumers said they had stayed longer in a venue because the music suited the space, while 40 percent said the soundtrack had shaped how much they spent.

OneMusic NZ Director Greer Davies said the findings show music should be treated as a key part of the customer experience.

“For most business owners, the playlist is often treated as an afterthought or left to staff preference. This data shows music has a direct impact on whether customers stay, spend, and return.”

Volume emerged as the top factor customers notice first, with 42 percent of New Zealand respondents saying it was the first thing they picked up on when entering a business. Loud music was also tied to 18.2 percent of all negative feedback in the study.

The report found New Zealand consumers value comfort over high-energy settings, with 40 percent wanting music to create a welcoming feel and 24 percent preferring a calm mood. Lively music ranked much lower.

Among younger listeners, the findings were sharper. Seventy percent of Kiwi Gen Z respondents said they could quickly spot generic stock music, linking it with brands they viewed as cheap or less thoughtful.

The full Sound Decisions report includes genre insights across sectors such as fine dining, fashion retail, supermarkets and wellness, with OneMusic NZ also launching a free Sound Score Quiz for businesses to assess their current music choices.