Why Did I Buy All That – Yes, we want fries with that

Self-service technology, read through behavioural economics. Taylor opens with the University of Connecticut honesty-box study (even a sculpted head watching us boosts payment), then applies 'observed people are nicer people' to self-checkouts, where anonymity turns ordinary shoppers into Emmeline Taylor's 'SWIPERS'. The flip side is upselling: 61 per cent of customers spend more ordering via a McDonald's kiosk, because no human means no judgement. Amazon's retreat from till-free stores shows the limit, where removing all human contact actually raises the social stakes. Rich for behavioural economics, social norms and firms' pricing and cost strategies, with lots of concrete figures. Accessible to all students and versatile across micro topics, so a strong candidate for a lesson or discussion.  Read here