How consumers are paralyzed by the bewildering array of choices in the marketplace.
Design teams can often assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction for their users. However, Barry will discuss why we must reconsider this assumption. Too many choices can cause users to question their decisions before they even make them, set them up for unrealistically high expectations, and make them blame themselves for any failures. In the long run, too many choices can lead to decision-making paralysis for your users.
For example, for every ten choices offered to users in a 401K plan, two percent fewer people decide to participate in the plan. The users who participate are more likely to go with the most conservative investments because of their uncertainty. Barry's conclusion is that the more choices users are presented with, the more likely they are not to act—not to purchase—at all.
link to The Paradox of Choice article
