A High Percentage of Consumers Really Don’t Understand Percentages

Imagine being told that a product’s battery lasts 125% longer than a competitor’s battery. Sounds good. But for many people, there’s a good chance they will greatly underestimate how much better that really is.

Companies, of course, frequently use percentages to convey information to consumers. But a recent study found that many consumers wildly miscalculate what those percentages mean, especially when the percentages are greater than a hundred.