Helping Consumers with Decision Fatigue

The average adult makes 35,000 decisions each and every day, according to various sources. What to wear, what to eat, where to go, what to say. You name it, and the list goes on. No wonder we’re worn out at the end of the day.

So the results of a recent survey shouldn’t come as much surprise: The endless aisle is contributing to decision fatigue.

Software Advice’s survey of consumers across 12 countries, including the United States and Canada, found they’re overwhelmed by the sheer number of products online, unhelpful search results and suspect product reviews.

While 77% of global consumers regularly use search filters when shopping online, 84% of them experience challenges, including:

• Too many sponsored results (52%)
• Inaccurate/irrelevant results (51%)
• Too many results overall (31%)
• Not knowing which search terms to use (23%)

Needless to say, these issues can lead shoppers to abandon their carts and avoid sites where they previously ran into roadblocks.

 And it’s not much better when it comes to social media. While the report found that more consumers are starting their product searches on social channels (30%), they still tend to move to retailer websites or e-commerce sites to complete their purchases. Yet once they get there, keywords and search capabilities don’t always translate between platforms, leading to more headaches.

With all that said, there’s definitely some opportunity here for retailers to improve their online search capabilities (and AI may hold some promise, though it’s early in the game.) Any time a retailer can streamline results, better align keywords between platforms, or filter reviews (and improve consumers’ trust in them), it should go a long way in differentiating your store from your competitors.

But there’s also opportunity here for retailers—especially smaller, independent ones—to make themselves stand out in real life against the sea of endless online products. At the end of day, most consumers just want a good product, for a decent price, and they want to feel some trust that they’re getting that from a retailer… something that might be easier to convey separate from the endless aisle.

Consider this your chance to establish your business as an expert resource for consumers. Promoting curated assortments (either online or in person), offering personal shoppers, or adding other personalized services may make the difference in closing a sale—and gaining a loyal customer.