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And also a real effect in restaurants. Think it was like a study in supermarkets they used as an example where people were much more likely to buy a product fro

by nol13 10y ago

And also a real effect in restaurants. Think it was like a study in supermarkets they used as an example where people were much more likely to buy a product from a free sample if there weren't too many different options to choose from.[0] [0]i forget some business class i think

webmaven 10y ago
You're thinking of the 2000 supermarket study by Mark Lepper and Sheena Iyengar[1]. But it turns out that most attempts to replicate the result failed (but some succeed)[2], so there seem to be circumstances where too much choice is paralyzing, but they haven't been identified yet. [1] http://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/345/345%20Articles/Iyengar%20%26%20Lepper%20(2000).pdf http://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/345/345%20Articles/Iyengar... [2] http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2012/0719/The-Paradox-of-Choice-A-theory-loses-favor http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2012/0719/Th...
- nol13 10y ago
  ty, that'll teach me to pay attention in school to their 'facts'
  - webmaven 10y ago
    Note that there is no reason to think that the first study was flawed (as I mentioned, some careful reproduction attempts do succeed in producing similar results), only that there seems to be an unidentified additional factor that controls whether too many choices results in lower sales. The mystery factor could be something as simple as whether shoppers routinely bought jams and jellies, or if the purchase of a product in the category would have been unusual for them.
    - nol13 10y ago
      Ya was actually trying to think some of it through. Maybe the 6 jams they narrowed it down to were the most popular so increased likelihood of noticing one they liked? Or does so many choices always cause angst, but if you were planning to buy anyway it won't stop you? Have actually done past work optimizing lineups of consumer goods products, and guys i worked with used to joke that it was a cycle where the product lineup would creep up over a few years, then every so often someone would come in and simplify the lineup down to 3 options, then would start creeping back up again.

by nol13 10y ago

webmaven 10y ago

You're thinking of the 2000 supermarket study by Mark Lepper and Sheena Iyengar[1]. But it turns out that most attempts to replicate the result failed (but some succeed)[2], so there seem to be circumstances where too much choice is paralyzing, but they haven't been identified yet. [1] http://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/345/345%20Articles/Iyengar%20%26%20Lepper%20(2000).pdf http://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/345/345%20Articles/Iyengar... [2] http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2012/0719/The-Paradox-of-Choice-A-theory-loses-favor http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2012/0719/Th...

nol13 10y ago
ty, that'll teach me to pay attention in school to their 'facts'
- webmaven 10y ago
  Note that there is no reason to think that the first study was flawed (as I mentioned, some careful reproduction attempts do succeed in producing similar results), only that there seems to be an unidentified additional factor that controls whether too many choices results in lower sales. The mystery factor could be something as simple as whether shoppers routinely bought jams and jellies, or if the purchase of a product in the category would have been unusual for them.
  - nol13 10y ago
    Ya was actually trying to think some of it through. Maybe the 6 jams they narrowed it down to were the most popular so increased likelihood of noticing one they liked? Or does so many choices always cause angst, but if you were planning to buy anyway it won't stop you? Have actually done past work optimizing lineups of consumer goods products, and guys i worked with used to joke that it was a cycle where the product lineup would creep up over a few years, then every so often someone would come in and simplify the lineup down to 3 options, then would start creeping back up again.