
Having more options sounds better, but an enormous selection can make comparisons mentally exhausting. Research on choice overload suggests that under some circumstances, people become less satisfied or less likely to choose when faced with too many alternatives. The effect depends on the situation and isn't universal. Still, anyone who has spent an hour comparing nearly identical products online has experienced the problem firsthand. More choices can create more opportunities for regret. Sometimes, freedom becomes work.
© Journal of Consumer Research