Topic: Consumer Behavior
Change a Unit of Measurement and Watch People Magnify Uncertainties
How many cans of beer — or six packs or cases — will your party guests consume?
We’re All Being Tracked. What Can We Learn From It?
A primer for researchers on use of smartphone location data offers a glimpse of how we’re watched
The Hidden Cost of Raising Corporate Taxes
Consumer spending falls — and vulnerable families take the biggest hit
Streaming Platforms’ Exclusive Grip on Shows Is One of Modern Life’s Great Annoyances, But Things Could Be Worse
Absent these deals, smaller studios and streamers would suffer, TV might be less entertaining — and costlier
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