On Jan 9, 2008, at 6:09 PM, Gretchen Anderson wrote: > This research (http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/toomany.html) talks > about how the more adds/choices a person has the less likely they > are to pick on.
This is one of the key items in Barry Schwartz's book Paradox of Choice. As for first hand knowledge, we experienced this recently during ethnographic research for a financial client (they do insurance and investment plans). Employers who only offered one option typically had enrollment/participation rates of 80-95%. Employers who offered multiple options typically had enrollment/participation rates of 47-70%. The worst was an employer who only had a 47% enrollment/ participation from their employees. This employer offered plans from four different providers. The irony is that these are people who are consciously not participating in match plans. So, over half of the employees decide not to participate in retirement plans where the company is matching them and giving them free money for retirement. As to why they don't participate? Well, there are a few reasons. 1. The entire planning for retirement process is intimidating and scary. 2. The marketing packet they get from each provider is large. This leads them to believe that it's a complicated process—more intimidation. 3. Add to #2 multiple packets and you get a compounded problem. 4. With multiple options, there's more information to wade through and they don't feel confident that they're making the right decision. 5. After they've made a decision, they're constantly questioning if it's the correct one. Numbers 4 and 5 are highlighted in Schwartz's book. Cheers! Todd Zaki Warfel President, Design Researcher Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. ---------------------------------- Contact Info Voice: (215) 825-7423 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] AIM: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Blog: http://toddwarfel.com ---------------------------------- In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. ________________________________________________________________ *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
