Pull Magical Thinking Out of Your Hat

“I am Dr. Fredrickson,” the man began as he stepped through the curtain to address the audience. “I was called to this theatre half an hour ago, and I have just declared as deceased the female lead of the play you came to see tonight. The rest of the cast and the house management are in shock. They asked me to come out here to tell you.”
     Silently, the audience members stood up and, with one exception, moved toward the doors. The one exception, a short woman standing on her theatre seat to see above the crowd, yelled out to Dr. Fredrickson, “Give her some chicken soup.”
     The doctor looked highly surprised. “She’s deceased. Perhaps you didn’t hear me.”
     “Go ahead and try some chicken soup,” the short woman yelled back.
     “Madam, the woman is dead. How could chicken soup help?”
     “Well,” replied the woman loudly, “it couldn’t hurt.”
     Some might call that an overwhelming faith in chicken soup. I’ll call it magical thinking. In circumstances when consumers are striving to gain control of their circumstances, they’ll often pull magic out of their hats. The results could be a superstitious failure to handle reality well. Or the magical thinking might make no difference at all, as in the case of Dr. Fredrickson’s latest and late patient.
     Or it might be so helpful to the consumer that the retailer goes along. Researchers at Canada’s HEC Montreal and at Queen’s University-Kingston give as examples the magical thinking springing from consumers’ out-of-control efforts to control weight. They might talk of a body that is conspiring against them or food which seduces them. Before being weighed, they’ll change into a less heavy outfit or they’ll exercise vigorously.
     Acknowledge the power of magical thinking. Then recognize the two flavors. Researchers at University of Texas-Pan American, Ohio University, and China’s Chongqing Technology and Business University differentiate between consumers who do things like carry good luck charms and those who believe in the power of fate or karma regardless of what lucky charms they're packing.
     Research at Dartmouth College and Columbia University suggests that for those who respect karma, you show extra perseverance in resolving any customer service complaints. Research at St. Louis University and Oklahoma University suggests that the other type of magical thinker will become a fan of your store if you pair positive shopping experiences with a small item carrying your store logo.

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