A UBC study reveals consumers use product shelf lives as a mental shortcut to determine naturalness, leading to a preference for shorter-shelf-life foods. This phenomenon can result in unnecessary food waste, as consumers overestimate the relationship between shelf life and naturalness.
A new study from RMIT University suggests that environmental awareness alone may not stop people from buying ultra-fast fashion. Shoppers weigh sustainability against price and convenience, using budgets and careful planning to make purchases feel more acceptable. The study identifies two psychological patterns, strategic spontaneity a...
A new study suggests that a fondness for well-known fast-food and sugar-sweetened beverage brands can predict poorer diet quality, even among those who rate these brands as unhealthy. The research found that participants who liked fast-food brands not only consumed more fat and sugar but also tended to perceive those brands as healthier.
A study by Edith Cowan University found that customer loyalty programs work best when retailers offer personalized benefits, provide exceptional customer service, and are transparent about their pricing. The research highlights the importance of trust, commitment, and perceived benefits in customer engagement with loyalty programs.
A pilot study by Bayes Business School found that shoppers using digital screens on their supermarket trolleys spent up to 32% more than those without. The study recorded significant spikes in spending and consumption among 'superusers' who engaged with the technology most.
A new scale developed by University of Arizona researchers helps marketers predict consumer habits by analyzing which era evokes the most nostalgia. The Nostalgia for Eras scale assesses three components: warmth, loss, and idealization, identifying specific decades that evoke strong nostalgic feelings.
A study by Penn State researchers found that certifying third-party repair services increases repair rates and helps brands retain market share. By signaling the value or 'unused utility' left in broken products, certified brand repair services increased repair leads with a 700% increase.
New research from the University of Kansas finds that AI technology can be used to deliver relevant ads without collecting personal data. The studies show that AI systems can generate relevance by interpreting content structure, semantic cues and emotional tone within a webpage.
A new study from Penn State researchers found that sending a simple acknowledgment message to customers can boost repeat participation in recycling and reuse programs, making sustainable behavior more sustainable over time. The study showed that acknowledgment emails tripled consumer participation in a dining service's reuse program.
New research by Muhammad Jawad finds that matching review formats to shopping stages improves outcomes. Participants who saw text for choice reduction and video for choice selection showed better results compared to those with mismatched formats.
The TSESOM framework proposes a dynamic service ecosystem approach to manage sustainable operations in botanic gardens, integrating biodiversity research and ecosystemic thinking. It offers a flexible tool for transformative collaboration and innovation, supporting planetary health and global sustainability transitions.
Avi Goldfarb, a University of Toronto marketing professor, has received the INFORMS Society for Marketing Science Fellow Award for his long-term contributions to the field. He is recognized for his research on the economics of digital technology and artificial intelligence.
Researchers found that adding words like charming, cozy, or lovely to Airbnb listings boosted booking rates by roughly 0.2%, comparable to objective claims about amenities. The study's findings suggest that subjective praise can meaningfully shape consumer behavior without consumers feeling remorseful.
A new study suggests that commercial marketing logics can hinder the effectiveness of promoting degrowth, a concept proposing an equitable reduction in production and consumption. Instead, non-commercial messaging led by institutions empowering communities is proposed as a more effective approach to shaping values and worldviews.
Research by Göttingen University found that colourful Nutri-Score labels on the shelf and price tag are more noticeable and influencing consumer choices. The study suggests that companies should display multi-coloured labels to support consumers in making health-conscious choices.
Research shows that adverts featuring people with a disability increase consumer attitudes towards brands and their products. Key findings include the benefits of disability inclusion and the importance of representing individuals with disabilities as capable advocates for a product or service.
New research reveals that see-through or cut-out product packaging on a shelf increases the psychological desire to own it. Customers rely on various cues when making purchasing decisions, with visibility of a product influencing choices.
A University of Maine study found that US consumers are willing to pay more for lobster rolls made with ropeless fishing technology due to increased animal welfare concerns.
A study by Marta Serra-Garcia examines how incentives in the online attention economy shape scientific communication, finding that attention-driven summaries are not more likely to be factually inaccurate but tend to include less information. The research reveals a trade-off between engaging content and conveying accurate details.
Researchers propose a new approach to overcoming vaccine hesitancy by framing vaccines in terms of personal autonomy and freedom, which showed greater willingness among those with higher concerns. The study suggests that traditional universal approaches may not be effective for everyone, highlighting the importance of individual values.
Research from the University of Texas at Austin finds that consumers pay up to $170 extra per vehicle when buying a used car with nearly identical mileage but one digit off, due to left-digit bias. This phenomenon can result in higher prices for cars just below round numbers like 20,000 or 50,000.
A study by University of Innsbruck researchers found that removing secondary product displays in crowded supermarket aisles increases sales by 11.5% due to increased browsing and interactions. Shopping carts amplify the negative effects, making narrow aisles feel tighter and reducing perceived control.
The April 2026 nTIDE report shows modest gains in employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities, increasing from 38.1% to 38.5%, and labor force participation rate also increased, suggesting more individuals with disabilities entering the workforce to support their families amid rising prices.
A new study reveals traditional TV ads deliver less than expected impact, with promotions, recency, programming, and habits playing a crucial role in ad effectiveness. The research uses smart TV data to measure causal impact on consumer purchases, providing insights for advertisers and improving TV networks' measurement capabilities.
A recent study from the University of Technology Sydney found that users who set moderately challenging weekly targets were more likely to remain active and engaged with their apps. This suggests that smarter goal-setting, rather than more goal-setting, may be key to sustained digital engagement.
A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior highlights the impact of digital transformation on food access, emphasizing opportunities for innovative interventions and policy approaches to promote health equity.
SourceElsevier·JournalJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior·TypeContent analysis·DateMar 5, 2026
A new study explores the market effects of unleashing generative AI on creative endeavors, finding that low-quality 'AI slop' harms consumers and professionals. High-quality AI, however, can enhance professional work while providing consumers with better content options.
Researchers find that personalized digital marketing can evoke a powerful emotional response, leading consumers to feel uncomfortable and less likely to make purchases. To mitigate this 'creepiness,' brands can focus on prevention by designing personalization practices that minimize ambiguity and avoid signals of intrusive surveillance.
A new study from Binghamton University School of Management provides a framework for organizations to anticipate, interpret, and respond to social media backlash. The toolkit identifies four phases of online social disapproval and offers guiding questions and analytical indicators to aid in early detection, response, and recovery.
A new study from the University of British Columbia found that the way marketers express time can change how people experience the past and future, influencing real consumer decisions. The 'year-length effect' shows that when time is described as a length, people tend to perceive it as longer than when using years.
A new study from the University of East Anglia finds that AI tools excel at speed and clarity, but human translators remain crucial for tone, cultural nuance, and natural sound. Generative AI can handle parts of video translation, but consumers still notice when something feels off.
A University of California - Riverside study found that purchasing goods or services to be shared generates significantly more anxiety. Learning about others' preferences can reduce stress and increase confidence, but not if there are differing expectations.
A new study by Florida International University found that self-improvement gifts can unintentionally trigger negative online reviews due to emotional sting. Recipients who received these gifts often felt judged rather than appreciated, leading to lower ratings and negative word of mouth.
A new study by University of East Anglia researchers identified key factors contributing to successful crowdfunding campaigns on Seedrs. Setting a £90K target, having around 19 team members, and using specific phrases in campaign pitches all helped attract investors.
Researchers from Radboud University identified eight legal risks associated with MLMs, including false income promises and pyramid scheme-like structures. Studies funded by the MLM industry often downplay these risks, creating a false impression that MLMs are safe business models.
A survey by Göttingen University found that consumers overestimate the environmental benefits of locally sourced food, while underestimating the advantages of imported goods. This misjudgment can lead to environmentally unfriendly choices.
Researchers identified three types of online brand defenders: promoters (emotionally attached), justice promoters (fairness driven), and self-promoters (ego-driven). Companies can encourage promoters by acknowledging them, while justice promoters require a sense of fairness. Self-promoters are motivated by attention and rewards.
A new study by Yifan Yu offers guidance on how to deploy emotion AI in various scenarios, emphasizing the importance of balancing human involvement with AI's emotional detection capabilities. The analysis showed that emotion AI works best when integrated with human employees, and some scenarios are better handled by humans alone.
Pusan National University researchers develop a novel prompting technique to improve ChatGPT's accuracy in predicting fashion trends. The study reveals that ChatGPT can capture emerging themes and identify new trends not found in existing data.
A new study found that safety-related reviews on Airbnb can reduce bookings and lower nightly prices, with a significant impact from personal experiences. The study suggests increasing transparency to balance financial incentives with customer welfare, providing the greatest long-term benefits.
A new study from the University of Vaasa finds that reducing clothing consumption improves body image and overall well-being. By extending the lifespan of clothes, individuals can reduce social comparison and increase self-esteem.
A new study found that COVID-19 work absences have become a year-round phenomenon in the US labor market, similar to pre-pandemic influenza season conditions. Nationally representative data can help monitor public health crises and inform policy decisions.
A new study from the University of Vaasa examines how Finnish households are becoming more flexible with their energy consumption, driven by digitalisation and financial incentives. The research finds that material and monetary benefits are the most effective motivators for adopting flexible energy habits.
A new strategy to increase low-emission food consumption has been found effective in controlled choice experiments with 3,000 participants. The 'nudge by proxy' approach highlights consumer motivations rather than environmental impacts, significantly outperforming traditional carbon footprint labelling.
A cross-sectional study found that FDA-cleared AI-enabled medical devices lack standardized efficacy, safety, and risk assessment, highlighting the need for dedicated regulatory pathways and post-market surveillance to address these challenges.
Researchers warn that dynamic pricing can erode customer loyalty and face regulatory scrutiny, highlighting the need for careful planning and human oversight in algorithmic pricing decisions. Companies must balance profit optimization with marketing strategy and customer sentiment to avoid backlash.
A new MSU study explores the perceptions of consumers regarding 'Made in USA' labels, finding that confusion exists and reality often exceeds or falls short of expectations. Researchers analyzed survey data from 131 adult respondents to better understand consumer attitudes towards domestic production and labeling.
Researchers at Binghamton University found that focusing on the time invested in a goal, rather than the monetary cost, can enhance self-determination and increase persistence. This approach can be particularly effective for DIY customers, helping to reduce unhappiness and increase job satisfaction.
A new study from the University of Georgia found that labels on news articles, such as 'most shared' versus 'most read', influence audience engagement. Respondents interpreted 'most read' stories as more informative, while 'most shared' articles were seen as less serious and more entertainment-based.
A study analyzing 20 years of credit data finds that younger households with lower education levels are more likely to carry balances and struggle with payments. Meanwhile, those with university degrees or savings tend to stay current on their payments.
Australians waste 7.6 million tonnes of food annually, with poor label design and inconsistent packaging being key reasons for this problem. Clearer date labels and storage advice could drastically reduce edible food waste.
A USF study reveals that consumers tend to believe fake online reviews, even when told they are fabricated, due to a psychological phenomenon called truth bias. The researchers argue that platforms should prioritize identifying and mitigating fake negative reviews and labeling potentially fraudulent content.
Researchers found that plain language summaries increase consumer trust by 2-5% and willingness to share personal info. However, companies should avoid using these summaries to hide malicious practices.
A study found that dog owners are willing to pay a premium for foods labeled with specific health attributes, such as digestive health and allergy care. The most expensive attribute was 'allergy relief,' with an average price of $3.89 per pound.
Researchers found that digital detox interventions on TikTok led to increased usage among users who were less skeptical of advertising, viewing the platform as more authentic. In contrast, users with higher skepticism showed no significant change in behavior. The study highlights the potential backfire effects of well-intentioned effor...
A decade-long study of snowsport instructors reveals that pursuing a career in a field you enjoy can be taxing, requiring financial, mental, and physical sacrifices. However, the research also found that participants reported experiencing significant personal growth and fulfillment.
A randomized crossover trial found that 5 minutes of exposure to junk food adverts resulted in children consuming significantly more calories during the day. The study found that 7–15 year-olds consumed an average of 130 kcals extra, equivalent to two slices of bread.
Researchers from the University of Surrey warn that manufacturers who fail to adopt digital transformation will be left behind. By harnessing emerging technologies like chatbots, digital twins, and AR/VR, manufacturers can improve customer centricity and enhance their value proposition.
A new study from Bar-Ilan University and University of Agder reveals that linking luxury items to NFTs can harm their perceived value by introducing a sense of temporariness. The research suggests that luxury brands must strike a balance between innovation and maintaining their heritage to avoid devaluing their physical products.
Researchers found that most people are open to their friends asking to join plans, but hesitate to self-invite due to concerns about offending others. The study's findings suggest that people tend to underestimate the likelihood of getting invited and overestimate how much others consider them.