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> You cannot go to a simple store without some music being played, often very loudly for no reason. I swear certain stores in Japan are the worst in this regar

> You cannot go to a simple store without some music being played, often very loudly for no reason. I swear certain stores in Japan are the worst in this regard. I’ve never come across anything near this bad in any other countries I’ve been to. My wife refuses to go into certain chains and I can’t blame her. Bright lights, loud music, signages literally everywhere and random yelling of announcements over crackling speaker. Of course not all stores are like this but I’ve never really cared about noise in shops until I started living in Japan recently.

pier25 4y ago
Could you share a YouTube video? The way you put it sounds like entering into a disco.
- creakingstairs 4y ago
  Something like https://youtu.be/ZhRmPWkyRKU?t=662 https://youtu.be/ZhRmPWkyRKU?t=662 + people yelling depending on the occasion/ floor. The Donkihote near our place was actually the worst in this regard, but I can't find a video of that store :p
MandieD 4y ago
It’s probably on purpose: when you have trouble thinking critically, and are fighting multiple distractions, you’re going to have a harder time not grabbing the potato chips or doing the mental math to see that “Super Deal!!!” is not actually a super deal. I’ve found that my shopping is more impulsive when I have to deal with that background racket plus a toddler trying to grab bright, shiny packages. My solution: do what I can to avoid bringing toddler grocery shopping, wear earbuds with my music playing just loud enough to overcome store sound system.
- mdp2021 4y ago
  > It’s probably on purpose Of course it can be, with all theory-based-planning behind it: it's called 'Gruen transfer', or 'Gruen effect'. Note: Victor Gruen, the architect protagonist in the spread of shopping malls in the USA, condemned the practice.
- jmiskovic 4y ago
  Do you find your own music to be better for preserving attention than the store music? The collection I curated over the years consists 100% of music that caught my attention. I'd prefer wearing ear plugs but haven't found good ones for daily use.
  - MandieD 4y ago
    My own music is familiar, which removes a source of distraction. Plus, doesn’t come with either news or marketing announcements in a language I mostly understand, but automatically raises my attention when I hear it.

pier25 4y ago

Could you share a YouTube video? The way you put it sounds like entering into a disco.

creakingstairs 4y ago
Something like https://youtu.be/ZhRmPWkyRKU?t=662 https://youtu.be/ZhRmPWkyRKU?t=662 + people yelling depending on the occasion/ floor. The Donkihote near our place was actually the worst in this regard, but I can't find a video of that store :p

MandieD 4y ago

It’s probably on purpose: when you have trouble thinking critically, and are fighting multiple distractions, you’re going to have a harder time not grabbing the potato chips or doing the mental math to see that “Super Deal!!!” is not actually a super deal. I’ve found that my shopping is more impulsive when I have to deal with that background racket plus a toddler trying to grab bright, shiny packages. My solution: do what I can to avoid bringing toddler grocery shopping, wear earbuds with my music playing just loud enough to overcome store sound system.

mdp2021 4y ago
> It’s probably on purpose Of course it can be, with all theory-based-planning behind it: it's called 'Gruen transfer', or 'Gruen effect'. Note: Victor Gruen, the architect protagonist in the spread of shopping malls in the USA, condemned the practice.
jmiskovic 4y ago
Do you find your own music to be better for preserving attention than the store music? The collection I curated over the years consists 100% of music that caught my attention. I'd prefer wearing ear plugs but haven't found good ones for daily use.
- MandieD 4y ago
  My own music is familiar, which removes a source of distraction. Plus, doesn’t come with either news or marketing announcements in a language I mostly understand, but automatically raises my attention when I hear it.