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Decoy effect 0:34
A 34-second explainer of Decoy effect, narrated over the same demo you can try yourself.
Try the interactive Decoy effect demo
What this video covers
The decoy effect happens when adding a third, intentionally worse option shifts your choice between the other two. The decoy isn’t meant to be selected - it’s there to make one of its neighbours seem like the better deal.
With two plans, the bundle looked dear and you leaned towards digital. Add a print-only plan at the same price as the bundle - plainly worse - and the bundle suddenly reads as a steal. Nothing about it changed. The decoy just handed you an easy comparison to win, and your eye took it.
