Given the Choice, They'd Like Fewer

In theory, it’s nice for shoppers to have lots of options. But research last month by Omnicom Media Group’s PHD unit adds to the literature identifying “choice fatigue” as a modern malady. The chart gives a picture of how consumers react when feeling overloaded with choices. In analyzing the findings gleaned from its consumer interviews, PHD suggests that the Internet aggravates the problem, as “it seems to provide too much information for most consumers to navigate.”