The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less

Barry Schwartz's The Paradox of Choice argues that the proliferation of product options has led to declines in consumer well-being, as well as lower consumption due to choice overload. His thesis is well-argued and compelling, however it is not entirely persuasive — there have been replication issues, and Tim Harford has pointed out that product choice and SKU proliferation is not shrinking in most areas of retail, including at Starbucks and at supermarkets. I wonder if the true problem isn't too much choice, but a poorly organized choice architecture.