Justify Why Customers Reached the End of a Catalog

Humans seem rational.

Feel hungry? You eat something.

But this sequence can be flipped:

Eat something? You infer hunger. But was it? Maybe it was stress or boredom.

Humans often act, then justify with logic. This fallacy — rationalization — can be seen in cognitive dissonance and other pivotal theories (see Cushman, 2020 for a review).

It also happens in ecommerce.

If a customer reaches the end of your catalog, they might infer: Hmm, I reached the end without choosing a product. Guess I don't like any of them.

But were they disinterested? Or merely indecisive?

Help customers rationalize this behavior. At the end of your catalog, insert a statement to shift their rationale from dislike to indecision:

• Can't decide? Take our quiz to find the right product.
• Can't decide? Let our experts help.
• Can't decide? Build your own bundle.

This framing will justify their behavior: Hmm, I reached the end without choosing a product. Oh, it's because I can't decide. All the products are good.

• Cushman, F. (2020). Rationalization is rational. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 43, e28.