7 weird consumer psychology ideas that are very useful for CRO

Hey {{first_name}}

Don’t worry this not the same CRO psychology list you have heard about a gazillion times.

This is a list of 7 weird ones that are pretty interesting to understand.

Also, why are our brains so odd? Or are we just living in Elon’s Simulation?

1. Single-option Aversion

Single-option aversion is the idea that shoppers can become more likely to keep searching when they are only shown one option. The research describes it as an increased desire to search when faced with a single option.

You see this on PDPs where the brand is very proud of its hero product.

One product.
One price.
One CTA.
No comparison.
No “best for”.
No “choose this if”.
No alternative format.

The customer has to decide whether this product is right without any reference points.

This can make them go to Google, Amazon, TikTok, Reddit or a competitor’s collection page to get their comparison fix.

Warning: This does not mean you need to add 38 variations of colour.

You’ll just trigger the opposite end of the scale, and create decision fatigue.

It could be just a small comparison table.

Or a label saying what it’s best for or who it is best for:

“Best for daily use”
“Best for sensitive skin”
“Best for gifting”
“Best for first-time buyers”

Give the customer enough context to stop the tab-opening madness.

2. The Evaluability Problem

Some product details are technically useful but almost impossible to judge on their own.

300 GSM.
10,000mm waterproof rating.
0.8mm thickness.
1200mg blend.
Dermatologist-tested.

You know what those details mean.

But your customer may not.

Evaluability research looked at how people judge attributes differently when they have, or do not have, enough context to understand them.

It explains how the value of an attribute depends on the information people have to judge it.

To solve this, add content to your features:

10,000mm waterproof rating: Built for heavy rain, dog walks and standing on a football touchline pretending you are not freezing.”
300GSM cotton: Thicker than a standard tee, without feeling like you are wearing a carpet.”

The spec can stay. Just add the spec’s job to be done.

3. Feature fatigue

Feature fatigue research found that too many product features can make a product feel harder to use, even when each feature looks useful on its own.

This shows up on PDPs that try to win the sale by listing everything.

Nine icons.
Six badges.
Four tabs.
Three carousels.
A “technology” section.
A “why you’ll love it” section.
A “designed for modern life” section, which usually means very little and took someone 1442 minutes to write.

Yes, the customer gets more information, but not always more clarity.

For CRO, the job is to separate buying detail from ownership detail.

First, anser the 6 crucial buyer questions.

Put the deeper details lower down.

The customer who wants to read about stitch density at 11:43pm can still have a lovely evening.

4. Distinction bias

Distinction bias describes how people can over predict the impact of differences when options are compared side by side.

This happens on collection pages and PDP comparison blocks.

Product A has 2% more of something.
Product B has a slightly different finish.
Product C has one extra tick in a row nobody understands.

The table was meant to help but now the customer is doing a dissertation on Product Comparisons.

Use comparison tables to reduce the decision.

Not inflate it.

Good rows are things like:

Best for first-time buyers
Best for oily skin
Best for small kitchens
Best for long runs
Best for dogs under 12kg
Best for gifting

Bad rows are things like:

Advanced formulation
Premium technology
Enhanced comfort system

Those may be true but they not really evaluable (see no. 2 above)

5. Customisation overload

Customisation sounds brilliant.

Build your box.
Choose your flavour.
Pick your colour.
Select your size.
Choose your delivery frequency.
Add a message.
Pick a pouch.
Select your free gift.
Choose your subscription plan.

By step seven, the customer is no longer customising a lovely product.

They are doing admin.

If you have a quiz, bundle builder or product customiser, give customers an easy route out.

“Build your own” and “Shop our ready-made sets”

6. The less-is-better effect

The less-is-better effect shows that people can sometimes prefer a smaller or lower-value option when it is judged separately, especially when the smaller option is easier to evaluate as complete or generous.

An efficient three-piece starter kit will beat a seven-piece “ultimate system” if the extra items feel excessive or not necessary.

A gift box with four strong products can look more premium than a box with four strong products, two filler samples and a sad little sachet.

Bundles should feel complete.

Not padded with extras nobody needs.

But this can also be used to your advantage, you can use the large bundle to set the anchor price. Making the one you want to sell look like a bargain or the customer beating the system.

7. Purchase-risk notices

Purchase-risk notice research found that warning customers about possible mismatches between what they see online and what they receive can reduce returns without negatively affecting purchase intention.

That is useful for products where expectation gaps cause refunds, complaints or awkward support tickets.

Fashion: “Runs small. Size up if between sizes.”
Skincare: “Not suitable for very sensitive skin.”
Furniture: “Natural wood grain varies between pieces.”
Pet products: “Designed for dogs under 12kg.”
Food and drink: “Flavour is sharp rather than sweet.”

These notes should sit near the decision point.

Not buried in a returns policy or hidden in an FAQ.

Good CRO is also helping the right customer buy the right product with fewer nasty surprises afterwards.

Chat soon,

Peter

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