Helping consumers to make informed choices
Today’s consumers have unprecedented freedom of choice. The vast range of differentiated products and services makes the ideal purchase more likely, with changing and uncertain tastes and customisation catered for. The internet provides a wealth of product information, including detailed descriptions, availability, and expert and user reviews. However, the prospect of achieving consumption perfection coupled with the time and complexity involved in product research can cause consumer overload and stress.
Behavioural science techniques can be used to increase consumer awareness and ability to deal with information overload, as well as help business to use messaging to match their products with the right consumers. Applying behavioural science techniques can also support literacy regarding complex products, for example, in the financial and health sectors, and raise awareness of advertiser influence, both of which are needed to safeguard consumer empowerment.