As the ultimate real-world test of their theory, researchers went into that great modern arena of decision making: the mall. Shoppers in a suburban mall were interviewed about their experiences in the stores that day and then asked to solve some simple arithmetic problems. The researchers politely asked them to do as many as possible but said they could quit at any time. Sure enough, the shoppers who’d already made the most decisions in the stores gave up the quickest on the math problems. When you shop till you drop, your willpower drops, too.
Also happens online. Impulse shopping happens in batches. The first purchase is always the most resisted.
