IKEA furniture requires assembly. This isn’t a cost-cutting bug – it’s a psychological feature.
The IKEA Effect (named by Dan Ariely): we overvalue things we helped create. Assembly creates investment. Investment creates attachment. Attachment creates loyalty.
A meal kit company tested sending pre-chopped ingredients vs. whole vegetables requiring some prep. The “some effort” version won.
Customers rated meals they partially prepared as tasting better. Same recipe. More effort. Higher satisfaction.
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