Similar psychology:
Likely impacts:
Last updated: 03/11/2026
How to utilise this in your designs
During onboarding, you could let people build their first plan, then show it back at the account creation step, so signing up feels like keeping something they already own.
Example from
Mob
Before someone upgrades, try letting them preview and interact with paid features on their own profile, so the Endowment Effect makes going without them feel like a loss.
Example from
Discord
Consider showing people when they joined as a profile badge, so their history with the product feels like something worth keeping.
Example from
ChatGPT
When someone enters a website URL at sign-up, one option is to pull in their favicon as confirmation, so the new account instantly feels like theirs.
Example from
Hotjar
It may help to let gift buyers pick a sticker and see a live preview on the box, so the Endowment Effect kicks in before they've paid.
Example from
Crumbl
Possible impacts
When users have built up a profile, history or saved work, the Endowment Effect can make leaving feel like a loss, which could reduce churn.
Letting users personalise or configure a feature early could increase how often they use it, as it starts to feel like theirs rather than the product's.
People who've personalised something, e.g., an avatar or a design, may feel proud of it and could be more likely to share it with others.
Through the Endowment Effect, things users chose or built themselves can feel worth more than a ready-made version, which could raise your product's perceived value.
Small personal touches, like picking a sticker or building an avatar, could make the experience more enjoyable, as users feel the result belongs to them.
Giving people the chance to try or build something before paying could increase purchases, as walking away starts to feel like giving up what's theirs.
Written by Peter Ramsey
Published: