Topic: Consumer Behavior

Building facade with old air conditioners Research Brief / Energy

Motivating Households in India to Reduce Energy Consumption

The same message that works with U.S. households is effective in the developing world

Illustration of a calendar with 15th circled Research Brief / Behavioral Decision Making

Motivation to Begin or an Excuse to Slack Off?

Fresh-start dates can serve as either — it’s a two-way nudge

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

A woman having coffee in front of a laptop Research Brief / E-commerce

Online Coupons Work in the Moment but Don’t Seem to Alter the Seller-Shopper Relationship

Studying 1 million Alibaba users, Hengchen Dai mostly confirms the transactional nature of internet retailing

Mobile phone using the Yelp app Research Brief / E-commerce

Online Reviews Sway Experiential Purchases Less Than Those of Material Products

Reviews that explicitly talk about objective quality assessments are well received

A pile of glittery gold stars on the left of the frame and in the center a yellow star Research Brief / Sales

Online Reviews: Should Sellers Show All or a Subset Relevant to You?

Most sellers do one or the other, but giving shoppers both might lift sales

Censored pricing at a store - Sale Price Research Brief / Pricing

Opaque Pricing: How Sellers Can Gather Data and Boost Revenue

Websites peddle unnamed hotels and even cities; would you pay to omit one from the list?

Illustration of a boardroom with members wearing chef hats Research Brief / Management

Origin Story of Products: To Consumers, How Big a Team Seems Right?

Buyers value team over individual effort but are sensitive to invention-by-committee

Line chart with hearts Research Brief / Time

Our Envy of Prospective Events Is Greater Than of Those Past

That’s helpful information in a social media world filled with friends who do enviable things

Illustration of a character holding the sun on a string Feature / Happiness

Our Flawed Pursuit of Happiness — and How to Get It Right

New approaches to spending and time-management examine how our actions do or don't influence our level of satisfaction

Illustration of a man water a plant while it grows Research Brief / Happiness

Patience Is a Virtue — Up to a Certain Point

The happiest people are moderately patient, not into extreme delayed gratification

Illustration of a face Feature / Behavioral Decision Making

People Don’t Mind Government Nudges, but Prefer Them Free of Politics

When an unloved cause or political adversary is attached to a nudge, the method itself becomes suspect

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

Foreign pharmacy Research Brief / Retail

Quality and Price: National Pharmacy Chains Benefit Consumers in India

Independent drug stores improve to meet the competition

Man buying jeans Research Brief / E-commerce

Retailing Cross-Platform Win: A Pop-Up Store Boosts Online Sales

Alibaba finds a fresh twist on an old-school store is an effective marketing tool

Sale signs at a mall with people walking Feature / Behavioral Decision Making

Sales Promotions Influence People Beyond Purchasing Decisions

Exposure to discounts makes people impatient