Less is More Choice
December 14, 2009 by Pearl
It’s that time of the year again when décor shops spring to life with all the glitters and sparkles for the rapidly-approaching holiday season. I don’t know how you react, but as soon as I set foot in such a shop, I can’t help but to perform a full 360 degree twirl on my feet; just as I did when I was a child walking into Disneyland for the very first time. As much as I enjoy taking in all the glory of the holiday season in these stores, the experience can also be a bit overwhelming⎯especially if I am trying to decide what to buy.
Although such holiday shops fill me with delight, I rarely buy anything in them. I found that it was always easier to make my selections at a department store with fewer holiday goods.
A study conducted by Sheena S. Iyengar of Columbia University and Mark R. Lepper of Stanford University helps explain my behavior. The authors believe that it is difficult for people to manage complex choices with numerous options.
In their article, When Choice is Demotivation Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?, Iyengar and Lepper argued, “Consumer research suggests that as the number of options and the information about options increases, people tend to consider fewer choices and process smaller percentages of the overall information regarding their choices.”
Iyengar and Lepper referenced three studies in their article. One took place at Draeger’s, an upscale grocery store in Menlo Park, California, where a table was set up with tasting samples of various flavors of jam. Once every hour, researchers at the sampling table switched their offering from 6 flavors to 24, and then back to 6.
The study found that more consumers were initially attracted to the table with more offerings. One would think that consumers given 24 choices would sample more flavors compared to those given only 6 choices. But all consumers tasted on average one to two samples regardless of whether there were 6 flavors or 24 flavors displayed.
Researchers also concluded that while 30% of the consumers who were offered 6 flavors made a purchase, only 3% of those offered 24 flavors did.
As a result, “The findings from this study show that an extensive array of options can at first seem highly appealing to consumers, yet at the same time, can subsequently reduce their motivation to purchase the product.”
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Walgreen’s cash flow from operations increased 55% for the quarter ending August 31, mainly because of lower inventories.
A recently remodeled Walgreen’s store in Chicago benefited from the less is more approach:
Shelves were lowered to 66 inches from 78 inches high, so aisles look brighter and less cramped.
The vitamin area has new shelf signs that promote the supplements’ health benefits. Well-
organized displays of mouthwash and paper towels help customers find departments easily.
The store looks so much less cluttered that a few customers discovered for the first time that the
store has windows, said Bryan Pugh, Walgreen’s vice president of merchandising.
This less is more approach also applies in presentations. While an elaborate slide with fancy animations may induce “oohhs” or “ahhhhs” from your audience, it doesn’t necessarily mean they get your point. They are simply doing the same thing as twirling their feet in awe of the beautiful holiday décor in shops. The appeal is temporary.
To prevent overloading your audience, take the less is more route with your presentation.
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