The Paradox of Plenty

for product teams who never met a dropdown they didn’t like

Why Play

You’ve got a great product. Maybe even a few dozen of them. Your UX is polished, your variants are abundant, your filters are… thorough. You've given customers everything they could possibly want—and then some. But instead of conversions, all you’ve got is a graveyard of abandoned carts and bounce rates that would make a trampoline jealous.

Turns out, more isn’t always merrier. When customers are faced with too many choices, they don’t feel empowered—they feel paralyzed. This isn’t just a marketing hiccup; it’s a well-documented behavioural science problem. Psychologists call it choice overload. Your customers call it “ugh, I’ll deal with this later” (and then never return).

Welcome to the eye-opening world of the paradox of plenty, where understanding the limitations of choice can unlock the secrets to happier customers and healthier conversion rates.

You don’t need to dumb it down. You need to dial it in.

Who’s Playing

This game isn’t for:

• Maximalists who think “more features = more value”

• Teams who use drop-downs as emotional support widgets

• Anyone who thinks “add filter” is a personality trait

It’s perfect for:

• PMs watching users abandon overstuffed carts

• Designers fighting “analysis paralysis” in user tests

• Marketers who suspect their 12-tier pricing model is backfiring

About the Game

The real story is: our brains aren’t wired to enjoy endless options. We think we want them—but when faced with a decision jungle, we freeze. We doubt ourselves. We fear missing out on the “best” choice. And so, we default to inaction.

The paradox of plenty, also known as choice overload, is a well-documented psychological phenomenon. This was first revealed when psychologists like Barry Schwartz, the author of The Paradox of Choice, showed that more choices often lead to less satisfaction, more regret, and—crucially for you—fewer purchases.

Imagine walking into a store with 50 types of olive oil. Odds are, you’ll walk out with none and wonder why dinner feels harder than it should. The same thing happens online. Except your user just closes the tab. This basically suggests that while a certain degree of choice is desirable, an excessive number of options can lead to:

Decision Fatigue

The more choices we're presented with, the more mental energy we expend making decisions, leading to exhaustion and a reduced ability to make further choices.

Increased Anxiety

The fear of making the "wrong" choice intensifies as the number of options grows. We second-guess ourselves and worry about missed opportunities.

Lower Satisfaction

Even after making a choice, we're less likely to be satisfied with our decision, constantly wondering if one of the unchosen options would have been better.

Choice Paralysis

In extreme cases, the sheer volume of options can become so overwhelming that individuals are unable to make a decision at all, leading to inaction (like abandoning a shopping cart).

The point? More options ≠ More freedom. Often, it equals more friction, more anxiety, and fewer conversions.

Some savvy players have learned to master the art of less:

Apple famously offers a relatively limited range of products compared to its competitors. This curated selection simplifies the buying process and reduces decision fatigue.

Netflix personalizes recommendations, effectively filtering the vast library to present users with a manageable and relevant set of choices.

These examples highlight that sometimes, the most valuable service you can provide is to thoughtfully filter and present a focused set of options.

The Rules

Rule 1: Curate, Don’t Dump

You’re not a warehouse. Be a guide. Show your best options first. Use intelligent defaults. Group things in meaningful ways. Choice is good, but clarity is better.

Rule 2: Use Anchoring to Your Advantage

Present a high-priced or premium option first to set a benchmark. Suddenly, your mid-tier offer looks like a steal. Help users feel like they’re making a smart decision, not solving a logic puzzle.

Rule 3: Limit the Paralysis Points

How many filters do you really need? Every extra dropdown or toggle is another moment your customer might abandon ship. Streamline. Hide complexity until it’s actually needed.

Rule 4: Highlight the “Obvious” Choice

Use visual cues, badges like “Best Seller” or “Great for Beginners” or even social proof, to subtly nudge users. People like to feel informed—but also reassured.

The Science

This isn't about dumbing things down; it's about respecting how our brains work. Here’s why choice overload wrecks conversions?

Cognitive Overload

Our working memory has limited capacity. Overwhelming it with too much information hinders learning and decision-making, as each option consumes mental energy, leading to more fatigue, and more "meh, later".

Regret Aversion

The more options you give, the more likely someone is to second-guess whatever they picked.

Opportunity Cost Salience

Users start imagining the value of the choices they didn’t make. Simple, clear choices that lead to satisfying outcomes trigger dopamine release, reinforcing positive user experiences. Overwhelming choices can lead to frustration and a lack of reward.

Satisficing > Maximizing

We rely on mental shortcuts to make decisions. Too many options can overload these shortcuts, leading to paralysis or suboptimal choices. The point is, most people don’t want the “perfect” choice. They want a good enough one, fast.

The magic lies not in giving them everything, but in giving them the confidence to choose something.

Power Ups

🎯 The Ideal Customer Lens

Filter your offerings through the eyes of your ideal user. What do they truly need? Ruthlessly eliminate the rest.

🔢 The Rule of Three

Good. Better. Best. Most users can comfortably choose when given three distinct, well-positioned options.

🧠 Smart Defaults

Pre-select the most popular or recommended option. It gives users a starting point and reduces friction.

📦 Bundle Wisely

Group related items together. Fewer clicks, fewer decisions, more dopamine.

📊 Decision Simulators

Use a decision tree approach—simple, progressive questions that guide users toward the right fit without overwhelming them.

🔬Hygiene Testing

Regularly audit your product listings. Are there items that barely sell? Cut them. Simplify your user’s universe.

TL;DR

Too many options? Not helpful. Your job isn't to offer everything—it's to offer clarity. Limit friction, highlight the obvious choice, and remember: a confused user doesn’t convert.

Minimalism isn’t just an aesthetic. It’s a conversion strategy.

So, product teams, what dropdown menus are you currently clinging to that might actually be leading your customers down a path of indecision and away from that sweet, sweet conversion? It might be time for a little… subtraction.

See you for our next playdate.