Topic: Consumer Behavior
Website Search Data Suggests Profitably Reconfiguring In-Store Product Placement
Lots of web searches for laminate flooring? Move it closer to the storefront
Unflattering Facts Don’t Dent Positive Self-Assessments
People rate selves better than average, even faced with objective data to the contrary
Barred From Stalking Us Across the Internet, Returns for Some Advertisers Plummet
Small businesses hit particularly hard when Apple made it easy to opt out of app tracking
We Think Illegal Products Are More Effective
Because they’re harder to get, we assume they’re more potent — and thus preferable over legal ones.
Those Offering Opinions Are Better Remembered Than Those Uttering Facts
And recall of the source affects how we interpret information — and how we might act upon it
As Tipping Booms Online, How Can Platforms Maximize Their Take?
A conundrum: When others’ tips are visible, users make larger tips to keep up. But they tip more often when tips aren’t displayed online
Expedited Delivery Is Widely Offered, But Might It Damage Brand Loyalty?
A surcharge for speediness is regarded as a profit grab, while a discount for slowness seems somehow more fair
If Shoe Shoppers Will Accept a Half-Size Difference, How Should Merchants Adjust Inventory?
Carrying fewer pairs of some sizes could be a potential profit booster for boutiques
People Pay for the Right to Bid — and Then Overbid
Bidders sacrifice a better price to avoid ending up with nothing
A Quiet Expansion of Deposit Insurance Could Disrupt U.S. Banking
Seen as a backstop to small- and midsized banks, the program, allowing insurance in multiples of $250,000, alters banking’s risk calculus
As Few as Three Options Can Be Too Many for Online Shoppers
A large field experiment suggests two items is the sweet spot for converting motivated lookers into buyers
CD Withdrawal Penalties: Often More Than Worth the Risk
Banks know you won’t do the math: Even after a penalty for early withdrawal, the longer-term CD often nets out to a better deal
A Common Marketing Nudge Can Foster Consumer Distrust
Placing an inferior ‘decoy’ option in a menu of choices can trigger people to take their business elsewhere
Consumer Backlash to CEO Advocacy: Signaling or Act of Conscience?
An experiment seeks to isolate motivation and raises concerns for outspoken corporate leaders
Want To Elicit User-Generated Content? Try User-Generated Rewards
Recognition by peers leads to longer, more thoughtful online reviews and discussion threads
When Surge Pricing Comes to the Supermarket
Charging more at peak times could reduce congestion and lift profits. Would customers revolt?