Mistakes occur more frequently than we’d like. And generally, when they happen, we often don’t go about advertising them to others. But companies can benefit from letting consumers know when they make mistakes with a product. Consumers perceive these products as more unique, because they think mistakes in product creation are more improbable than there being no mistakes. And the perceived rarity of mistakes increases their value.
Research: Consumers Prefer Products Created by Mistake
But only if they appear unintentional.
September 20, 2017
Summary.
Products that have been created by mistake have more intrinsic value than products that were created on purpose, but only if it’s communicated that the product was created by accident. But not all mistakes are equal. In order to add to the product’s value, a mistake must be unique and the consumer must believe that it was unintentional. That’s because such mistakes are perceived to be improbable, and the perception of rarity enhances their value.