17% cite decision anxiety This is the thirteenth of 20 daily THOUGHTS examining emotions in marketing.‘Decision anxiety’ is an emotional state that impacts purchase behaviour. A recent study found that some 17% of people experience decision anxiety and a further 10% experience an emotion best described as ‘get it done’. In some cases, anxiety is […]

17% cite decision anxiety This is the thirteenth of 20 daily THOUGHTS examining emotions in marketing.‘Decision anxiety’ is an emotional state that impacts purchase behaviour. A recent study found that some 17% of people experience decision anxiety and a further 10% experience an emotion best described as ‘get it done’. In some cases, anxiety is caused by not knowing what category of product to buy. This is demonstrated when consumers struggle to determine what to buy a loved one for Christmas or a birthday. More often, however, decision anxiety results from a proliferation of choices within a product category. For example, men in a hurry in a supermarket may find themselves confronted by 30 butter options, 50 cheese options and 200 TV dinner options. This is increasingly apparent in a range of businesses such as Chinese restaurants and department stores. There appears to be a prevailing view that, the more…