Customers often rate a service higher if they believe significant effort was expended—a concept called the "illusion of effort." Even if a faster, automated process yields the same result, framing the delivery around the effort invested in creating the system can boost perceived quality.

Known as Input Bias, people value an output more if they perceive significant effort went into it. An 8-hour presentation is rated higher than an identical 18-minute one. Marketers should fight the urge to make everything seem instant and automated; sometimes, showing the "work" is more persuasive.

Consumers perceive products as higher quality when they are aware of the effort (e.g., number of prototypes, design iterations) that went into creating them. This 'labor illusion' works because people use effort as a mental shortcut to judge quality. Dyson's '5,127 prototypes' is a classic example.

Consumers use price as a proxy for quality. In one study, people rated the same wine 70% higher when they thought it cost $45 versus $5. A premium price creates an expectation of a premium experience, which can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for the user.

Apparent inefficiency, like the queue at Gail's Bakery, can be a potent marketing signal. The visible wait, amplified by large windows, serves as social proof that the product is highly desirable and worth waiting for, attracting more customers.

Legendary copywriter Joe Sugarman marketed a cheap Casio watch by rebranding its standard aluminum as 'space grade aluminum' because NASA used it. This technique of reframing mundane facts creates perceived value from ordinary components.

Because AI can generate content in seconds, it is perceived as low-effort. This violates the "labor illusion," where effort signals quality. A study showed that when a poster was labeled "AI-powered" instead of "hand-drawn," purchase intent dropped by 61%. Brands using AI must reframe the narrative around the effort of building the system.

Consumers equate effort with quality and devalue work perceived as instant, like AI output. To combat this 'labor illusion,' stress the human expertise, years of research, or complex system development that enables the AI. Focus on the effort invested in the process, not just the speed of the result.

Using a precise, non-round number like 5,127 creates an "illusion of effort" and intentionality, making claims more believable than a rounded number like "5,000." This psychological principle suggests that specificity signals thoroughness and purpose, increasing customer trust in the final product's quality.