The Blissful Ignorance Effect: Customers Are Happier With Less Product Info

Psst companies, want to make your customers happy? Here's a secret: don't tell them too much about your product.

Sounds paradoxical? Read on about a new study by researchers at the University of Iowa that seems to validate that sometimes ignorance really is bliss:

In what they term the Blissful Ignorance Effect, researchers at the university's Tippie College of Business found that people who have only a little information about a product are happier with that product than people who have more information.

"We found that once people commit to buying or consuming something, there's a kind of wishful thinking that happens and they want to like what they've bought," said assistant professor of marketing Dhananjay Nayakankuppam. "The less you know about a product, the easier it is to engage in wishful thinking. But the more information you have, the harder it is to kid yourself. This can be contrasted with what happens before taking any action when people are trying to be accurate and would prefer getting more information to less."

Link - via Guy Kawasaki's How to Change the World Blog


Newest 5
Newest 5 Comments

Call me a pessimist, but I figure if a company doesn't extol the virtues of its product, it's probably following the old adage, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

In that case, I move on. I never feel better about a product I know nothing about.

Oh, and I don't eat hot dogs.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
It's not like it's going to make a big difference if you know what you eat or not. Almost everything you put in your mouth gives you cancer these days.

I guess it's alright if you calculate the fact that if you want to grow all your fruits/vegetables and take care of some farm animals for all your nutritious need it's going to cost you about the same amout of time that is currently deducted from your life spawn by eating all the poison they put in the stuff you eat.

Bon appetit!

=D
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
This is an awful study. The last thing we need on product packaging is less information. There's never enough information. Try shopping for digital frames, for instance... you'll have no idea what you're getting by looking at the box.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Wow, I'm with Sid...Maybe it because I'm a cheap ass. When I spend money for something I want to know what I'm getting. But I guess it makes sense that when you spend the $$ you want to be happy. Word up to all the cheap asses out there!
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.




Email This Post to a Friend
"The Blissful Ignorance Effect: Customers Are Happier With Less Product Info"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More