I believe there have been studies that show we’re much happier with fewer options.
Yeah when I sold cars we called it "too many choices paralysis": Y'just got 20 new Caravans with identical option packages (proven to be the single biggest seller) and 1-3 of 'em in every color.
And your prospect stands at the end of a row of product trying to decide which color they want. To
test drive.
(Actually this is good, it means they're visualizing themselves owning the vehicle. But it's, uh,
aggravating.....)
TO be fair, packaged options allow a maker to achieve some economy of scale in manufacturing and components cost.
Decades ago consumers bought what was made and most choices were made by the manufacturer.
To be fair typically the choices offered were what had proven to be the most popular.
If your product, or manufacturing and logistics, can't really affordably support "build on demand" the next best thing is to offer a lot of choices and phase models in and out.
Car makers have grappled with the problem for at least 40 years. In the early '90's none of the big 3 and many of the Japanese imports offered anything but "packages" with some stand-alones that could be added or substituted. Anything that had to be done at the factory (Basically anything but bolt-on accessories) had to be ordered which dealers are loath to do, too much chance of customer changing mind, even with a hefty deposit, and dealer orders once placed are virtually non-cancellable unless within maybe 24-72 hours, after that, it's already in the production schedule and you'll take it, Mr. Dealer. Finding a buyer is your problem.
And it could be a purple Corvette with a tow package. Only the guy who ordered it and backed out when it got too far overdue will ever want that monstrosity.
I sold exactly one car to order in 4 years or so.
As Gary says above, I just read a study that was done showing how MORE choices and options actually make people way more STRESSED!! And I can see that. I know how some people are with restaurant menus and coming to a decision in a normal place. For a (short) while I worked at Grand Lux Cafe at the Venetian. It's owned and modeled after Cheesecake Factory, same company. If you've ever looked at one of their menus it's like FIVE huge pages with more choices than anyone should ever have. I've had someone still 45 minutes after everyone's decided just going into meltdown because it's just too much for them to process and they get SO UPSET just making a basic decision for ONE MEAL!!
It's not in business anymore, is it? Neither is the pizza place that gave you crust, cheese, and sauce for free and offered 50 different toppings, build your own.
Gimme a good 'ol fashioned ice cream parlor.. even Baskin Robbins' 28 flavors is overkill.