[pram]

I’m not convinced. They describe it as the result of having a “preference for risk” but maybe they’re just seeking novel experiences? If they’re trying new things simply because they’re new, then their behavior offers no predictive power. There’s very little risk associated with buying a different flavor of soda :V

[maxerickson]

Skimming some of the paper, it differentiates between one time purchasers of failed products (a negative signal) and repeat purchasers of failed products (a stronger negative signal).

[rlonn]

It can still be a case of searching for novelty. I think my mother did this while I was growing up - she would try out new replacement products (primarily food) and start buying them for a while, until the household got fed up with them and we went back to the old product. Repeat purchases for sure, but the only draw was novelty. Trying out a new type of milk instead of the old one, etc.

Gadgets too - We got a bread baking machine, and used it quite a lot for a year or two, then people got tired of it being somewhat impractical, it ended up in the back of the cupboard and finally thrown away.

Wouldn't be surprised if there is a group of people for whom it is very rewarding trying out new products, and many products you can't just buy once and then consider it "tried out".

[watwut]

I am one of them. I tend to do exactly that. I find new thing and if it tastes ok, I buy it multiple times and stop buying when novelty wears off. The new snack/milk/yogurt feels like fresh change more then once. I can eat it many times till it becomes "normal" at which point I loose interest.

Watermelon-flavored Oreos sounds exactly like the thing I would go for.

[canofbars]

Established brands thrive on this as well. Frequently releasing unusual but ultimately not very good flavour variations because many people will buy it just to find out what vegemite flavoured chocolate tastes like.

[uncledave]

I am their anti-customer by definition. I suspect a lot of people don’t know what they want. I’m glad I’m not one of them.

[watwut]

Risk taking is new buzzword. Every other study on HN tend to frame pretty much everything in terms of risk taking, no matter how much strained and how little actual risk is involved. When having choice between two extraordinary safe decisions, somehow, pop journal psychology will always guess risk taking explanation.

And it is clearly guess here, the wording in article is clear on that.