Baskin-Robbins ice cream serves 31 flavours. They’ve introduced 1,300 flavours since inception in 1945. Too many options can slow down your thought process and ultimately your success.
It can be helpful for a consumer to have just one option. At best, you could offer them two or three options. A bit like Apple does with its iPhone offering, its laptops and its computers.
Once people have more options than that, they start to be paralysed by indecision. Often, they start to questions their choices and review their short list of options.
One thing I learned growing up in the countryside was that if you had only one option nearby, that was the best one. Moreover, no second guessing was involved. Finally, if people wanted to eat, skate or play tennis, there were only a couple of places to do that.
I love exploring and trying new things. Just ask my kids about the variety of flavours I bring home. Pineapple covered in yogurt and popping candy comes to mind.
There is a lot to say about the simplicity of one or two choices. Restaurants with 75 items on the menu seem a bit crazy. This is not just endlessly challenging for the consumer. In addition, the kitchen has to keep enough of each item in case it is ordered. And it can’t have gone off when it is selected.
Too many options is an unnecessary indulgence.
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