It’s also possible to be hit by this bias if you’re not thinking of it while shopping. Last year, I was invited over to watch the Super Bowl at a friend’s, and they were also celebrating his niece’s birthday. Of course, I brought a gift—a Cookie Monster plushie. Unfortunately for me, someone else brought a teddy bear that was obviously much larger and higher quality! Oops.
The moral, I suppose, is that if you’re going to get a cheaper gift, shoot for something that’s very different than what other people are likely to buy.
It’s also possible to be hit by this bias if you’re not thinking of it while shopping. Last year, I was invited over to watch the Super Bowl at a friend’s, and they were also celebrating his niece’s birthday. Of course, I brought a gift—a Cookie Monster plushie. Unfortunately for me, someone else brought a teddy bear that was obviously much larger and higher quality! Oops.
The moral, I suppose, is that if you’re going to get a cheaper gift, shoot for something that’s very different than what other people are likely to buy.