What it is
People continue investing in a decision despite mounting losses.
How it shows up in CX
Customers stick to purchases or memberships longer than rational because of prior investment.
CX pillars it strengthens
EffortIntegrityExpectations
How to design with it
1
Prevent overcommitment.
2
Allow easy exit options for customers.
3
Encourage rational choices.
4
Provide clear cost-benefit comparisons.
5
Reduce post-investment regret.
6
Offer flexibility without trapping users.
Supporting biases
Sunk Cost FallacyCommitment Bias
Opposing biases
Flexibility BiasFresh Start Effect
Related biases
Behavioral Biases
Design with behavior, not against it.
Explore more biases, or work with us to apply behavioral science to your customer experience.