Why choose “free shipping” when the total cost is the same? Korean team reveals the brain’s response with fMRI in a journal publication: Innovative Tech

Korean researchers used fMRI to study why consumers strongly prefer free shipping, even when the total price is fixed.

In a shoe-buying experiment with 38 participants, higher shipping fees reduced purchase intention, while free shipping was chosen faster and more often.

Brain activity in reward- and cognitive-control-related regions changed depending on the shipping amount being compared.

The findings suggest free-shipping appeal is driven not just by price comparison, but also by how the brain evaluates rewards and regulates decisions.