What happened in the store
In 2000, a California grocery store set up a jam tasting table. At some times it offered 6 varieties, at others - 24. They counted two things: how many people stopped to taste and how many later bought a jar.
More people stopped at the large table - 60% of passersby, compared with 40%. The display worked: variety catches the eye. But then the results diverged.
Of those who approached the small table, nearly a third bought something. Of those who approached the large one, 3 out of 100 did. Attention rose, but sales dropped tenfold.
Why a long list paralyzes you
When there are few options, choosing is enjoyable. Once there are many, it becomes work: you have to compare them, and people cannot compare 24 jars pair by pair. Your mind starts looking not for the best option, but for a reason not to decide right now.
There is a second cost, too. Behind every rejected option lingers the thought: “What if that one was better?” The longer the list, the more of these thoughts come with a purchase - and the less joy it brings.
choice is fun
Readiness to choose: it first rises with the number of options, then falls
Where this catches you
The same mechanism shows up in a list of shows, a marketplace with 400 pairs of headphones, and 20 tabs with apartments. The evening goes to comparing, the decision gets postponed until tomorrow, and by tomorrow the list has had time to update.
An important caveat: the effect is not universal. It is stronger when you do not know much about the subject and do not know in advance what you want. If you have a clear criterion, you can easily pass 24 jars to reach yours.
This experiment has been repeated many times, and the results have varied: in some cases a large selection got in the way just as much, and in others not at all. The overall conclusion is more cautious than the original one: it is not the number of options itself, but whether you have a ready way to compare them. A store with 24 varieties does not hurt someone who came for strawberry.
Filter first, then choose: 3 options take a minute, 20 take a week.
Finish reading in the Miqo app
1 more minute, then a quiz at the end. Find it under “Psychology → Decisions”
Point your phone camera here to open the App Store or Google Play.
Sources
- Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper, 2000: a grocery store jam tasting table experiment