Nielsen: Too Many Choices Facing Consumers

A new report from Nielsen shows that consumers may be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices.

Among adult SVOD users, about a third reported browsing a menu to find content.

“Options are great for consumers when it comes to deciding what to watch,” Nielsen SVP of audience insights Peter Katsingris wrote in the report, “but they’re also decidedly complicated for an industry that continues to fragment and search for unique ways to influence their behavior and perhaps steer eyeballs toward their network, program, service or brand.”

The report found that consumers are not happy with streamers’ emphasis on algorithms and individualized content experiences.

“Think about the last time that you or loved ones decided to sit down and watch TV, listen to new tunes or stream a program,” Katsingris wrote.

“Were you stuck in decision purgatory, endlessly checking out previews unable to make an actual choice? How long were you there? And how much do you think the paradox of choice costs programmers, content owners, brands and marketers? Surely nobody wins when potential consumers get frustrated by the amount of choice, or simply unappealing options, and ultimately decide to just go to sleep instead.”