Attract Ecommerce with Unattractive Faces

Research has found that a salesperson’s physically attractive face enhances the persuasive power of the salesperson bearing that face. The exception to this which is widely documented in consumer research occurs when the beauty or handsomeness intimidates a shopper.
     Now researchers at University of Hong Kong and Lingnan University verify another exception: If the persuasion agent’s face is seen just online, an unattractive appearance subconsciously communicates technical competence. This, then, enhances persuasive power with consumer decisions based on technology or in which attention to technical details is important.
     There are two related reasons for this. First, the salesperson is perceived as needing to work harder toward customers satisfaction in order to compensate for the appearance deficit. This leads to subconscious beliefs that the salesperson attends to technical details more conscientiously. Second is what the researchers coin the “Ugly Einstein” effect. Consumers buy into the stereotype of the nerd who has limited social skills, yet is technologically brilliant. In consumers, this generalizes to a positive impression in areas beyond the technological—as long as the consumer won’t need to socially interact with the salesperson. This is why the Ugly Einstein effect was seen so clearly by the researchers in ecommerce.
     Calling this “Ugly Einstein” and referring to the “ugliness premium” might seem harsh. The researchers can defend this by pointing out how they found the boost in persuasiveness is highest for the most unattractive salespeople. In their study of almost 18,000 Airbnb listings which included an owner’s profile picture, the occupancy rate was about 4% higher for unattractive hosts on average, but 16% higher for the most unattractive hosts. The attractiveness ratings had been determined in a separate project by the researchers.
     An attractiveness premium is highest when a woman markets to a man. The ugliness premium is most pronounced when a man markets to woman. Maybe this latter has to do with a concern among female shoppers that a male salesperson will think the women lack technological expertise. Researchers at University of Minnesota, Concordia University, and Yonsei University found that women avoid situations such as automobile shopping, financial planning, and tax preparation because the women fear salespeople will try to cheat them, assuming their customers lack STEM strength. STEM is the acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math.
     Featuring the owner’s photo in an ecommerce ad gives it credibility. Even owners who consider themselves relatively unattractive should countenance this advantage.

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