--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When companies try to guess what…" description: "\"When companies try to guess what consumers want, they essentially make the choice for consumers.\" — Sheena Iyengar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consume_2597966.png" --- # When companies try to guess what consumers want, they… ![“When companies try to guess what consumers want, they essentially make the choice for consumers.” quote by Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consume_2597966.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consume_2597966.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consume_2597966.png) > “When companies try to guess what consumers want, they essentially make the choice for consumers.” [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Companies that predict consumer preferences remove choice, shaping demand instead of responding to it. **In simple terms:** Predicting demand removes consumer choice. Key Takeaway Let consumers decide, don’t guess for them. Themes choice consumer autonomy marketing ethics Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - product design - advertising campaigns - market research - policy making Key Concepts behavioral economics choice architecture Questions to Reflect On - How does removing choice affect brand loyalty? - What alternatives exist to guesswork? A Different Perspective Assuming preferences can be accurately guessed is risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) ## Related quotes > [Besides my work doing NFL analysis and commentary for ESPN, I'm also involved in trying to get new products launched, and I have relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-schlereth/besides-my-work-doing-nfl-analysis-and-commentary-for-espn-i-m-also/) [Mark Schlereth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-schlereth/) > [The successful companies try to keep the new entrants down. Now that's great for a company like ours. 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The more the advertiser knows about what consumers want, and the more desires the product and packaging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/persuasion-has-become-a-kind-of-force-the-more-the-advertiser-knows/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [Instead of creating aesthetically pleasing prose, you have to dig into a product or service, uncover the reasons why consumers would want to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-w-bly/instead-of-creating-aesthetically-pleasing-prose-you-have-to-dig-into/) [Robert W. Bly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-w-bly/) ## More by Sheena Iyengar > [“Personal happiness is always a very serious matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/personal-happiness-is-always-a-very-serious-matter/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [“move. For one thing, you’re going to start paying more attention. Yes, perhaps you’ll sometimes have a crazed, wild-eyed look, but that’s a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/move-for-one-thing-you-re-going-to-start-paying-more-attention-yes/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [What we share with animals is a desire for choice. It's a desire to have control over our life and a desire to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/what-we-share-with-animals-is-a-desire-for-choice-it-s-a-desire-to/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [You know, you take a little infant and you turn on the music mobile on their crib and you find that if you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/you-know-you-take-a-little-infant-and-you-turn-on-the-music-mobile-on/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I went home and they seemed... my parents seemed normal. 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It doesn't tell me how I feel about it tomorrow or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/so-gut-tells-you-how-do-i-feel-about-this-right-now-it-doesn-t-tell/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I put out a good 10 different types of drinks for them and they just said, "Oh, okay, so it's just one choice." One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-put-out-a-good-10-different-types-of-drinks-for-them-and-they-just/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Like, people are less likely to invest in their retirement when they have more options in their 401K plans than when they have fewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/like-people-are-less-likely-to-invest-in-their-retirement-when-they/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) [Explore all 158 Sheena Iyengar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) Randy C. Dockens > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When companies try to guess what consumers want, they essentially make the choice for consumers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sheena Iyengar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consumers-want-they-essentially-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consumers-want-they-essentially-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consume_2597966.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consume_2597966.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consume_2597966.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When companies try to guess what consumers want, they essentially make the choice for consumers.” — Sheena Iyengar", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sheena Iyengar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When companies try to guess what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consumers-want-they-essentially-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/when-companies-try-to-guess-what-consumers-want-they-essentially-make/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```