Comments on: Illusions of Popularity and the Waitrose Token Effect http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/ wetsuit. flippers. rake. chase Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:48:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: g1smd http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-49 g1smd Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:16:10 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-49 *** I’d guess that branch makes that amount (profit) a day… *** More likely, several times that per hour. *** I’d guess that branch makes that amount (profit) a day… ***

More likely, several times that per hour.

]]> By: Jane http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-33 Jane Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:20:54 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-33 @Rob I won't do it again. @Ciaran Funny how so many people fall for the 'we're so charitable' lines to, isn't it... @Rob I won’t do it again.

@Ciaran Funny how so many people fall for the ‘we’re so charitable’ lines to, isn’t it…

]]> By: Ciarán http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-32 Ciarán Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:04:57 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-32 "Does it ever occur to club owners to hire thirty people to stand outside their doors on a Friday night in order to make the place look more popular than it really is? Is this perhaps a relatively standard practice?" No, standard practice is to make people sit at tables by the window and make people queue outside even when it's not that busy inside. (I actually always have a very quick think about what bin to put my token in. Bizarrely, whilst Waitrose is undoubtedly one of the 'good guys' the fact that they 'only' give out £1k a month at my branch makes this feel a bit like a stunt - I'd guess that branch makes that amount (profit) a day... “Does it ever occur to club owners to hire thirty people to stand outside their doors on a Friday night in order to make the place look more popular than it really is? Is this perhaps a relatively standard practice?”

No, standard practice is to make people sit at tables by the window and make people queue outside even when it’s not that busy inside.

(I actually always have a very quick think about what bin to put my token in. Bizarrely, whilst Waitrose is undoubtedly one of the ‘good guys’ the fact that they ‘only’ give out £1k a month at my branch makes this feel a bit like a stunt – I’d guess that branch makes that amount (profit) a day…

]]> By: evilgreenmonkey http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-31 evilgreenmonkey Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:55:47 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-31 What's with the serious blog posts, I thought we agreed on this site being pointless ranting? You're showing me and my annually updated blog up now. Please see me after class. What’s with the serious blog posts, I thought we agreed on this site being pointless ranting? You’re showing me and my annually updated blog up now. Please see me after class.

]]> By: Jane http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-30 Jane Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:22:29 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-30 @Nick Again, I'd agree, but the old people's charity had the most tokens :) @Nick Again, I’d agree, but the old people’s charity had the most tokens :)

]]> By: Nick http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-29 Nick Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:18:12 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-29 While I agree with your primciple I don't think the charity bins in waitrose support your argument. Like you, I've been intrigued by how people interact with them. Having montiored the bins in my local waitrose for a number of weeks now, the most popular charity is always the animal one, then kids, then old people. This never changes. while we may think these types of charities are equally deserving, a cute picture of a puppy gets 'em every time. So maybe the best basic rule of markeitng would be - always show a puppy? While I agree with your primciple I don’t think the charity bins in waitrose support your argument. Like you, I’ve been intrigued by how people interact with them. Having montiored the bins in my local waitrose for a number of weeks now, the most popular charity is always the animal one, then kids, then old people. This never changes. while we may think these types of charities are equally deserving, a cute picture of a puppy gets ‘em every time. So maybe the best basic rule of markeitng would be – always show a puppy?

]]> By: Tim Staines http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-28 Tim Staines Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:21:19 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-28 Damn that Flickr! Always bailing bloggers out of pictureless posts . . . Where was the most popular bin in your store relative to checkouts and exit? Both hypotheses back up the same general principle of human nature . . . people would rather not make an educated decision for themselves when they can just take the easy way out. Why do most of us web marketers put big ass calls to action wherever they will fit? . . . Because some significant percentage of users will let us make their decision for them, without reading what we have on the page. Damn that Flickr! Always bailing bloggers out of pictureless posts . . .

Where was the most popular bin in your store relative to checkouts and exit?

Both hypotheses back up the same general principle of human nature . . . people would rather not make an educated decision for themselves when they can just take the easy way out.

Why do most of us web marketers put big ass calls to action wherever they will fit? . . . Because some significant percentage of users will let us make their decision for them, without reading what we have on the page.

]]> By: Kalena http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-27 Kalena Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:11:50 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-27 Lovely analogy and what a great idea re tokens. Wish they'd do that here in Enzed. Flattered that I'm in your links of friends list :-) Lovely analogy and what a great idea re tokens. Wish they’d do that here in Enzed. Flattered that I’m in your links of friends list :-)

]]> By: Dr. Pete http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-26 Dr. Pete Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:05:01 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-26 Great point. Coincidentally, I made a comment the other day and, just to illustrate the point, thumbed myself down, so it was at -1. Before I knew it, 4 other people had thumbed me down. I don't think they even read it, but that -1 count was just too powerful. Great point. Coincidentally, I made a comment the other day and, just to illustrate the point, thumbed myself down, so it was at -1. Before I knew it, 4 other people had thumbed me down. I don’t think they even read it, but that -1 count was just too powerful.

]]> By: Jane http://janecopland.co.uk/2009/03/illusions-of-popularity-and-the-waitrose-token-effect/#comment-25 Jane Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:57:19 +0000 http://www.janecopland.co.uk/?p=52#comment-25 @Mike Fantastic example; thanks. I like the point about awful songs (products, content, etc) never doing extremely well, and fantastic songs never doing very badly. I expect that artificially inflating the Kingston University beer fund wouldn't do all that much to boost its popularity as a charity! @Rand I put the thumbs voting at the top this time ;) @Mike Fantastic example; thanks. I like the point about awful songs (products, content, etc) never doing extremely well, and fantastic songs never doing very badly. I expect that artificially inflating the Kingston University beer fund wouldn’t do all that much to boost its popularity as a charity!

@Rand I put the thumbs voting at the top this time ;)

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