In today's consumer-driven world, people are bombarded with countless choices. For many years we’ve all delighted in having these choices, believing that having more options is good for us; and many companies have fuelled this belief – from umpteen variants of tinned tomatoes and soft drinks to insurance and travel. While variety can be appealing, having too many options can lead to decision paralysis and cognitive overload.  

Hick’s Law tells us that the more options we are presented with, the longer it takes us to make a decision - which makes a lot of sense. There are simply more options to consider and it becomes more difficult to compare them. The outcome is dissatisfaction. 

This thinking and approach is often applied to UX, yet also applies to many off-line scenarios, such as in-store, or even a pub or restaurant. 

Whilst we’re aware of the risks of cannibalisation in product ranges, limiting choices can feel counter intuitive, yet actually be beneficial for brands. Reducing the number of options can help consumers make quicker decisions which leads to increased satisfaction and higher conversion rates.  For example, limiting the options means: 

• Reduced Decision Time: By presenting consumers with a curated selection of choices, we can reduce decision-making time, making it easier for them to decide. 
• Enhanced Clarity: A limited number of choices allows consumers to focus on the features, benefits, and differences between options more effectively, leading to greater clarity. 
• Streamlined Customer Experience: A simplified decision-making process can enhance the overall customer experience, reducing frustration and improving brand perception. 

Regardless of the setting, if we present people with too many options, we cause frustration and slow them down. They may even feel so overwhelmed that they give up and go elsewhere. Not to mention wondering if they’ve really made the right decision!    

For bigger purchases such as flights or insurance it has become increasingly difficult to compare prices, without going through the entire selection process! The base price does not reflect the end price, some companies will include bags, others won’t. So, whilst the flexibility to tailor products may be appreciated, comparing like for like can be difficult. 

Online we can help customers by using smart defaults or personalised recommendations. Each time they need to make a choice, we can highlight the most popular option to guide them through, based on the knowledge we have e.g. number of people, length of trip. This isn’t about upselling, it’s about creating easy and frictionless experiences. 

And a variety of approaches can also be adopted off-line to help shoppers navigate decision making. It might be presenting carefully selected product assortments that align with a specific target audience; or offering tiered pricing options to help consumers make decisions based on their budget; or bundling related products or services to simplify choices. 

Remember, less can often be more when it comes to consumer decision making. 

Challenge assumptions. Talk to Hummingbird Insights