Topic: Consumer Behavior

A small, medium and large cup of black coffee each in a white cup on a white saucer Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

What’s Behind the Consumer Preference for the Middle Ground

Capturing how decisions are driven by a habitual preference for moderation

Close-up of energy meters Research Brief / Energy

Household Energy Efficiency: Not All Upgrades Are Created Equal

Behavior, other factors influence which improvements are effective

Reflection in the mirror of man brushing his teeth Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

Boring Tasks We Abandon Too Soon: a Method to Finish the Job

Pairing the mundane — hand washing, teeth brushing — with more engaging activities

Woman with headphones stands in crosswalk Research Brief / Behavioral Decision Making

The Connective Pull of Headphones

We literally feel closer to someone we’re hearing via headphones

Shopping cart with digital display. Research Brief / Sales

How Loyalty Programs Might Become More Profitable

Target customers with easy access to a competitor?

A man tests a phone from a display in a store Research Brief / Supply Chain

Offering Free Upgrades Early to Manage Inventory and Boost Profit

Waiting until one product model runs out can be a costly mistake

Research Brief / Nudges

Why a Surcharge Can Alter Behavior Better than a Discount

Equal incentives perceived differently and can affect norms

Queue of disgruntled people waiting in line for a bank teller Research Brief / Nudges

We Hate Crowds, But Fail to Strategize on Avoiding Them

When might most other people choose to visit the bank?

Research Brief / Advertising

The Long History of Middlemen Earning a Lucrative, Fixed Commission

Ad agencies’ 15% fee lasted 100 years longer than it might have

An individual sits with their head resting on their hand while they look at their computer Research Brief / E-commerce

Search Fatigue: Online Shoppers Grow Weary, Take a Break

A shopping session may unfold over a period of weeks, not minutes 

Four individuals sitting side by side at a dinner table, laughing and smiling Research Question / Nudges

How to — and How Not to — Message Older Americans

Practitioners often ignore decades of progress in understanding what works

Crushed and stacked plastic bottles ready to be recycled Research Brief / Sustainability

Ditching Small Plastic Bottles — for Medium-Sized — Could Cut Waste

1.8 million tons of PET plastic bottles end in landfills annually

A full stocked grocery store yogurt section Research Brief / Pricing

Smaller Grocery Chains Exclude Products as Negotiating Ploy

Tactic partially makes up for lesser clout with suppliers

Store shelf full of Coke, Canadian Dry, Sprite and other sodas Research Brief / Taxes

Philadelphia’s Soda Tax Is Nearly Perfect for Maximizing Revenue

It’s less successful at curbing consumption so buyers shop outside the city

Uncle Oke's Pot shop store front with an open sign Research Brief / Retail

Small Enterprises Benefit from Economies of Scale in Marijuana Retailing

Washington state data: Profits higher, prices lower at multi-store firms

Row boat stranded on the beach at low tied Research Brief / Economy

The Relative Well-Being of Generations: An Explanation for Falling Interest Rates?

Doing worse than mom and dad is a drag on the entire economy