? Heuristic of the Day: Customization Bias
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I know I’ll pay $20 for an acai bowl at Fruttabowls over the same kind by Dole in the frozen food aisle any day!
When we have more options, we can design things that better fit our needs and wants. However, humans' desire for customization outstrips mere preference-fit considerations. We like customizing things just because they are ours. It gives us increased satisfaction to feel like we have created something that is the product of our own design.
While customization is generally viewed in a positive light, it often leads us to buy goods that we wouldn’t have or spend more money for customization than we wanted to. People are willing to pay higher prices for self-designed products relative to non-customized ones, even willing to pay premiums for customized products because they are perceived as more valuable.
When it comes to electronics, insurance, clothes, food, or subscriptions, how you can customize your product can affect how much you like it. Quite often, decisions are based on potential control and flexibility.
However, sometimes, the need for customization can lead to bad decisions especially when the product has a huge learning curve. Like installing unfamiliar design software, or customizing a food menu for a health-focused lifestyle. In such cases, it helps to fight Customization Bias and adapt to what is offered by the software or a dietician.