Companies wanting to apply the IKEA effect for themselves are faced with a challenge: how can they convince customers to go for a DIY version of a product? You see, what many companies overlook, is that the effect only applies after purchase.
Beforehand, people tend to base their decision on the time factor. For example, in another study by Norton et al., 92% of participants said they would pay more for ready-built products than for DIY products. They were only willing to pay premium prices for the DIY versions after assembling them.
So what strategies can companies adopt to attract customers to DIY products? To date, two methods have proven to be successful: focusing on faster delivery, and offering customisation options.
An innovative idea for stationary traders – give your potential customers a free coffee! Gibbs and Drolet found that when consumers have a higher energy level, they are more likely to choose experiences that require more effort, such as watching foreign movies with subtitles instead of movies in their own language.
However, companies must always make sure that the DIY aspect is not too challenging, so that it can be managed by all potential customers. If they fail to do this, their plan will backfire, and customers will be frustrated and angry.