Goal-gradient effect

Effort increases as people get closer to a goal.

Motivation and commitment Mainly on Cart pages
Where it applies

Three of the eight page areas.

HomepageNot typical CategoryNot typical SearchNot typical ProductNot typical CartMainly here CheckoutAlso applies Post-purchaseAlso applies

Not usually a sitewide principle. See everything at work on Cart pages

How to use it

Four ways to put it to work.

  • Show a free-delivery bar once the basket is near the threshold, such as “£6 away from free delivery”.
  • Use a short step indicator in checkout.
  • Show progress towards loyalty rewards.
  • Set thresholds a normal basket can reach.
What the research found

Progress motivates, but only close to the goal.

Visual progress helped only close to the goal.

Hull's 1932 paper concerned rats in mazes. Kivetz and colleagues found café loyalty members bought more often as they neared a free coffee, and website users rated more songs near a reward. Visual progress helped only close to the goal. No peer-reviewed test of free-delivery bars was found.

Key research

Six sources, each checked.

Last reviewed

Kivetz, Urminsky & Zheng (2006) The Goal-Gradient Hypothesis Resurrected: Purchase Acceleration, Illusionary Goal Progress, and Customer Retention J. Marketing Research Read the source Hull (1932) The goal-gradient hypothesis and maze learning Psychological Review Read the source Cheema & Bagchi (2011) The Effect of Goal Visualization on Goal Pursuit: Implications for Consumers and Managers J. Marketing Read the source Wang, Lewis, Cryder & Sprigg (2016) Enduring Effects of Goal Achievement and Failure Within Customer Loyalty Programs: A Large-Scale Field Experiment Marketing Science Read the source Nunes & Drèze (2006) The Endowed Progress Effect: How Artificial Advancement Increases Effort J. Consumer Research Read the source Lewis, Singh & Fay (2006) An Empirical Study of the Impact of Nonlinear Shipping and Handling Fees on Purchase Incidence and Expenditure Decisions Marketing Science Read the source
Before you use it · UK law

Missing a goal can backfire: in a 95,532-customer hotel loyalty trial, people who failed their target bought less afterwards. Keep thresholds genuine and show delivery charges up front, as the DMCC Act 2024 requires them wherever a price is given.

This is simply a pointer to check, not legal advice. Seek legal advice before you put this principle into action.