The shop owner just "heared it", not ready yet
As the owner of a small-scale coffee shop, Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung (O Dien commune, Hanoi) - said that he has only "hearsed" about this regulation through newspapers and social networking platforms.
I have only heard information and haven't had time to carefully understand the content of the regulations, so I still don't know clearly which cases require fee payment, what the specific fee level is or what the procedures are like. Because I don't understand clearly, the restaurant has not prepared anything yet" - Mr. Hung said.
For many small-scale cafes, any incurred costs should be considered.
Mr. Viet Hung said: "Paying copyright fees will definitely incur additional operating costs, but currently I cannot accurately estimate how much it will cost each year.
Sharing the same thought, Ms. Van Anh (Hat Mon commune, Hanoi) - owner of a coffee shop - shared that previously, playing music from popular online platforms was simply to create space for customers.
I was also quite surprised because before I thought playing music on popular platforms to create space for customers was normal. Because I had not grasped the information, the restaurant had absolutely no preparation or plan at all" - Ms. Van Anh expressed.
In order to avoid copyright infringement when opening at the bar, Ms. Van Anh chose a different direction: "If you have to pay copyright fees, my bar will choose to stop playing music instead of incurring a new fee. The bar can still serve normal customers without necessarily having to play music.
Instead of increasing drink prices and service costs, many cafes will prioritize adjusting their operations.
Expectations for the cafe space
From the customer's perspective, based on each need, expectations about music in the cafe space are different.
As someone who comes to the cafe to relax and chat with friends, Hai Dang - a student at the Central University of Art Education - said that music is an important part of creating an experience at the cafe.
I usually listen to the bar's music when going for coffee. For me, music is a part of creating the space of the bar" - Dang said.
According to Hai Dang, if bars simultaneously stop playing music, the experience will be significantly reduced.
I think coffee shops that are too quiet are sometimes a bit empty. If the shop doesn't play music, I feel like I will miss a part of the experience. Maybe I will prioritize choosing shops that still maintain a space with music" - Dang shared.
If the copyright fee is reasonable, Hai Dang believes that investing in maintaining music in the cafe is completely worthwhile because this is a factor contributing to retaining customers.
Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thanh (Ha Dong ward, Hanoi) - a customer who often comes to cafes to study and work, has a different perspective: "I usually wear headphones and have my own music list.
For many customers using personal headphones, Thanh believes that the shop stopping playing music, her experience is almost unchanged.
According to Ms. Thanh, the use of music depends on the business model of each cafe. For cafes aimed at experience and relaxation, music is an investment factor. Meanwhile, cafes serving groups of customers with learning and working needs can reduce this factor without significantly affecting the customer experience.
