I Came, I Scrolled, I Left: Tragedy of the Modern Consumer
Date: 22-07-2025
Reading time: 3 minutes
SHIFT #24
88% of Indians abandon a purchase – not because it is expensive.
Because it is exhausting.
You read that right.
Not price. Not product. Mental fatigue.
Welcome to the modern consumer dilemma: Too many tabs open. Too few decisions made.
We’re not short on content. We’re drowning in it.
We don’t need more to see. We need less to figure out.
If you’re a consumer tired of comparing 7 models for a toaster – this is for you.
If you’re a brand still trying to win by shouting louder – this is for you.
Because we’ve officially entered the Intention Economy:
A world where the most powerful brands, and the happiest buyers—are the ones who simplify decision-making, not complicate it.
From Clickbait to Clarity: The Big Behavioural Shift
Let’s not beat around the bush:
• Average attention span: 2 mins in 2003 → 47 seconds now. Some say it’s 8 seconds. (Goldfish, beware)
• 88% of Indian shoppers ditched a purchase due to choice overload.
• 76% feel bombarded by options.
• 67% say decisions feel harder now than they did before.
• Poor decisions cost the world $400B a year.
Your customers aren’t lazy – they’re overloaded.
And they’re begging for a shortcut that doesn’t feel like a scam.
So, this month on SHIFT, we’re pulling back the curtain:
• The $400 billion cost of decision fatigue
• 5 behaviour-science ways to help consumers decide – and businesses convert
5 Behavioural Shifts for a World That’s Done With Decision Drama
1. From “Here’s Everything” → “Here’s What Matters”
Choice Overload is real. When the brain sees 50 options, it often chooses… none.
For consumers: Ignore the noise. Look for clarity cues.
For brands: Cut the clutter. Highlight elimination, not exploration.
Try: “Best for you” filters. Fewer but better bundles. Don’t make them dig.
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2. From Personalised Overkill → Smarter Defaults
The Default Effect: We trust what’s already selected.
For consumers: The best choices often come preloaded.
For brands: Don’t just personalize—pre-decide. Use context and intent.
Try: Pre-filled options, default plans, “most picked by people like you.”
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3. From Feeds That Never End → Frameworks That Guide
Cognitive fluency loves structure. Confusion kills confidence.
For consumers: Trust brands that help you weigh, not wander.
For brands: Ditch the infinite scroll. Give users mental scaffolding.
Try: Decision trees, smart comparisons, “which one’s right for me” journeys.
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4. From Perfect Decision → Confident Shortcuts
Satisficing > Maximising. Good enough is great.
For consumers: Don’t waste time looking for “the best.” Look for “won’t regret.”
For brands: Stop selling all the options. Sell the least regrettable one.
Try: “You’re done” nudges. “This one’s good for 90% of people like you.”
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5. From Clicks → Commitment Cues
Pre-commitment and progress bias: Once we start, we want to finish.
For consumers: Look for progress indicators, not distractions.
For brands: Build momentum. Don’t reset every step.
Try: Save state. Highlight progress. Use “you’re already 60% done” nudges.
The Attention Economy made brands loud.
The Intention Economy will make them useful.
Because in a world full of noise, the brand that gets people to clarity first, wins.
