Topic: Consumer Behavior

Illustration of a manga cartoon Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

What’s in Your Social Media Feed?

On anime sites, what one’s friends are watching is the most persuasive prompt to engage

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

A group of people climbing a mountain peak Research Brief / Behavioral Economics

Why Kickstarter Funders Quickly Kick in the Last 5 Percent

Research shows that people have a sincere desire to see projects take flight

City landscape at dusk Research Brief / Housing

Could Costly Housing Bring Down Superstar Cities?

Stuart Gabriel’s research shows how a vibrant economic hub loses essential residents

A man shopping for soap Research Brief / Marketing

When It Pays Not to Help Your Customers Comparison Shop

Rakesh Sarin creates a model that shows consumer “ambiguity” about product quality should drive marketing and brand management strategy

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

Illustration of a house, cap, rings, car keys, baby crib Feature / Nudges

Behavioral Nudges Timed to Certain Days are Effective Motivator

Dates of milestones — major and minor — can spur us to action

YouTube on a tablet computer Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

Taking the Battle for Financial Literacy to Where the Eyeballs Are

Research by Bruce Carlin and Stephen Spiller suggests YouTube videos could help consumers make better money decisions

A laptop with Netflix Research Brief / E-commerce

Streaming Choices: Do We Follow the Big Crowd or Our Friends?

The ubiquitous community-wide customer rating is the biggest pull in helping us pick a movie or show

Two people watching a Progressive Insurance ad on TV Research Brief / Advertising

The Limited Payoff in Auto Insurance Advertising

Ads aimed at brand awareness are shown to be more effective

Hero image of a bar graph with excitedness decreasing with age as peaceful happiness increases Research Brief / Happiness

Age-Old Question: What Makes You Happy?

We define happiness differently as we age

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 US dollars stacked Feature / Retirement Planning

Are Americans Really Annuity-Averse? Clear Thinking on Retirement Income

A monthly check, not just a pile of cash: Studies demystify the instruments too few are using

Shelf of food and television Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

Examining the Difference Between Quality and Taste in Consumer Preferences

Laptops and TVs are based on quality, fast food and soda on taste; but some buyers defy these models, and it’s an opportunity for marketers