IKEA Effect

Valuing things more if we put effort into creating them

Read time:

37 sec

Ever feel proud after assembling that bookshelf, even if it's slightly crooked?

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That’s the IKEA effect at play—valuing things more if we put effort into creating them.

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‍Here are a few examples of different scenarios:

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Build a Bear - Create your own teddy bear

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HelloFresh - Personalized meal plans

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When we spend time and energy on something, our brains inherently value it more because we're wired to dislike wasting our efforts.

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Make your customers contribute or at least give them the feeling they contributed.
Offer personalized options ->Let them tweak to their taste. From sneakers to software, if they’re building it, they’re bonding with it.
Show them the progress-> Visual cues (progress bars) of what they’ve created or chosen to enhance the perceived value.