Behavioural economics: Buy first, ask questions later

Nick Chater

If we consciously mulled over every decision when we do our weekly shop, we would need a supercomputer to cope.

Buy first, ask questions later

Nick Chater

The idea that shoppers buy the things they want is not entirely accurate. Research suggests that, instead, they justify their purchase decisions after the event

At the coffee shop, we decide how much we are willing to spend by observing what other people pay

If we let it, a trip to the supermarket could become a terrifying intellectual challenge: what should we do when a cornucopia of possibility meets a limited budget? How should I balance quality against quantity, taste against health and familiarity against novelty? What about that buy-one-get-one-free offer? Will the...

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