Jun 21 2024 14 mins
The decoy effect is a trick used in marketing to make you choose a more expensive option by adding a third, less attractive choice. For example, if you're deciding between a small and a large popcorn, and a medium popcorn is added at a price just below the large, you'll likely go for the large because it seems like a better deal compared to the medium. The less attractive option (the medium) is the "decoy" that makes the large popcorn look like the best choice.
We discuss the different environments (movie theaters, restaurants, subscription services, etc) where this can occur as well as how it relates to the paradox of choice.
Check out the video version of this episode on YouTube.