Oriol Gifra

Quite often we see many possibles choices in our daily lives; supermarkets, TV channels, restaurant’s food options… and I think is good sometimes to remember that more choices do not necessarily mean better service or more sales.

Let me put a very personal and simply example occured when I was younger.

When I was around 23 years old I went to Equador to a Cooperation Camp, 200 km far from Quito, in the mountains. There I was sharing during one month the same walls with 50 child who were abanodend by their parents. 

One of the things that I remember the more is the permanent smile of those child, who did not have many options. In fact, in many things they simply did not have none, but the smile more than many child living in modern and prosperous cities around the world having much more in many senses (products, care, knowledge…).

I link this personal experience with some scientifics discoverings that demonstrate that more choices generates anxiety for many reasons (ignorance of which is the most suitable selection, fear of the wrong selection, fear of what people will say ..) 

The idea that more choices leads to more freedom, and more freedom to more welfare is FALSE.

Let me share the following evidences with you:

1. Listen Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice

2. See the experiment professor Dan Ariely made with their students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3. Read this interesting article from New York Times: Too Many Choices: A Problem That Can Paralyze

From online marketing point of view the conclusion is very easy:

To many choices probably have more negative impact than positive. The negative impact can affect on usability aspects that can have a direct impact on sales, registration, lead generation, etc…:

Rememeber some usability quotes:

– Do Not Make Me Think

– Do KISS (Keep It Simply and Smooth)

– Do it faster

– Do it better

– Do it easy

– Remember that too many Call to Action make confuse users

To many choices can confuse you thinking more in HOW MANY rather than the WHY (you would do it and users would do it) which is much more important.

Are you offering to many choices to your users from your web, e-mail, iPad…?. Now may be is time to optimize this also.