The Rebate Trap: Why Making Something Difficult Makes People Give Up

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The Rebate Trap: Why Making Something Difficult Makes People Give Up

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A bargain can look irresistible until you discover how much work it takes to actually receive it. In an episode of Nathan for You, an extraordinarily cheap gasoline offer came with a rebate process so inconvenient that obtaining the savings became an ordeal. Behavioral economics helps explain why consumers can be attracted by the highly visible reward while underestimating the less visible costs of time, effort, and inconvenience. This episode explores friction costs, salience, present bias, and why even small obstacles can dramatically change human behavior.

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