The Honeymoon Fund Effect: Exerting Effort to Choose Increases Generosity in Gift Giving

Recently in the wedding industry, websites allow newly married couples to set up a honeymoon fund. Honeymoon funds are cash registries that often break up the trip into smaller expenses, such as travel, lodging, and experiences. Guests can choose which expense to contribute to. This research examines whether the idea behind these websites is effective; do cash registries influence generosity in giving? Across eight studies (N = 7,672), givers respond more generously when they contribute through a cash registry (vs. not). We suggest this is because they exert greater effort to choose an option in a cash registry, and thus give more to reduce cognitive dissonance. Supporting this account, moderation studies reveal that the effect can be attenuated when effort used in choosing is reduced, such as when choice is limited (i.e., when only breakdown expenses are available or when only one option remains unfulfilled), and when a default choice is available. Further, increasing the required effort in unrelated choices (e.g., choosing a party song) also promotes giving. This research offers marketing insights for consumers wishing to increase fundraising and marketers looking into optimizing registry design.