Anchoring (or focalism) bias is the common human tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information available (the ‘anchor’) when making decisions. Once set, an anchor acts as a reference point against which all subsequent information is assessed.

The design implications of anchoring are huge as it significantly impacts user decisions.

For example:

1. Pricing

   In sales, the initial price (or RRP) is the anchor, making the sales price look like a good bargain.
   
   

2. Item Order

   If you display donation amounts on a charity website with higher figures first (the anchor) you’re likely to get higher donations than by listing lower amounts first.
   
   

3. Defaults

   If you set a price package on a website as the default it often becomes the anchor.