Hooked on subscriptions: The thrill of unboxing
Everyone knows that feeling of excitement when you open a wrapped gift or that anticipation before seeing what you’ve received in the post.
Retailers are increasingly aware of these emotional and psychological thrills. “Subscription box retailing” is now a growing consumer trend, as retailers send out samples and new products to loyal consumers.
The element of surprise built into these services is getting consumers hooked. In fact, the psychological feelings many people feel when unboxing is similar to gambling, with its risks and rewards.
We were joined by retail research Dr Louise Grimmer, from the University of Tasmania, to take a deeper look at why people become obsessed with these subscriptions and how retailers are exploiting our emotional and psychological cues for marketing purposes.
