The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz (2004)

This books offers an interesting observation based on various psychological experiments and real life observations, the more choices we have, in addition spending longer choosing between them, we also less likely make up our mind and will be less happy with the choice made eventually. Why I agree with the observations, I would argue with the conclusions, that lesser choices available would make us happier. Maybe in the extreme cases, for example when doctors are unwilling to make (life and death) treatment decisions and pushing those choices back on the patients, this might be true, but I would argue that these choices available came into existence, because of the free markets and customer "needs", and they would quickly disappear when serving no purpose (read no longer profitable). Many areas of life, like a new car buying experience still suffers lack of choices, including a "direct from manufacturer" buying option, and so many other distribution channnels have the entrenched manufacturer/wholesaler/retailer model, which could be greatly improved by offering real choices to consumers. A bit repetitive, but still interesting read.