In 2023, an online grocery brand in Thailand changed only one thing on their checkout page:
They moved the “Add Free Sample” button just below the payment button.
They didn’t change:
pricing
UI
journey structure
But within 4 weeks:
+27% checkout completions
Huge increase in customer satisfaction
Higher reorder frequency
Why?
They tapped into loss aversion —
users hate missing a free benefit.
People don’t buy logically.
People buy emotionally and subconsciously.
Cognitive marketing leverages both.
How the Brain Actually Decides
- Humans make decisions using:
- System 1 (fast, emotional, impulsive) — 90% of purchases
- System 2 (slow, logical, deliberate)
Marketing must influence System 1 to win conversions.
Cognitive Biases That Drive Buying Behavior
Social Proof
“If others trust it, it must be right.”
Reviews, popularity labels, live user counts
Anchoring
First price seen becomes the reference
Highlight premium → mid-tier feels affordable
FOMO
Fear of missing out = action
Limited stock / timers / last-seat alerts
Reciprocity
Give value → get loyalty
Free trials, onboarding gifts
Cognitive Ease
Simplicity = confidence
Fewer clicks = more buys
What Kills Conversions?
- Long forms
- Technical jargon
- Unclear value
- Zero emotion
- Too many choices
Confusion is the #1 conversion killer.
The Cognitive Conversion Loop
- Understand what users fear
- Remove that fear
- Trigger a positive emotion
- Reinforce the decision
- Reward continuation
Emotion → Action → Habit → Loyalty
Case Study
Psychology = Revenue
Client
-
FlexFit Sports — USA
(Fitness equipment eCommerce)
Challenge
- Users researched products but didn’t purchase
ODW Cognitive Strategy
- Sticky social proof (“5,912 bought this month”)
- Progress nudges on product research
- Comparison table with winner highlighted
- Small milestone rewards (free grip tape)
90-Day Results
| KPI | Impact |
|---|---|
| Add-to-cart rate | +38% |
| Purchase conversions | +29% |
| Repeat purchases | +41% |
They didn’t change what they sold. They changed how users felt about buying it.
Final Thought
To influence decisions,
you must understand how decisions are made.
- sales@odw.rocks
- +91 9312342222
