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[Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] Welcome to Live Interactive English, everyone. Hello. I am Mike, >> and I'm Kiki. And as we get into the Christmas season, I know we're still a month or so away, but shopping is going to be more and more on people's minds as you think about all those Christmas gifts you might have to buy. And online shopping has actually made Christmas shopping a lot easier than it used to be. You can find most things that you want to buy with just a click of your mouse or your phone, and it arrives at your house or wherever all the time. so quickly. >> But Mike, yes. >> When you are shopping online, how do you know if this product you're seeing is good or not? How, what kind of information do you use to help you decide that's something you're going to order? >> That's a really great question and also a real problem. Well, I mean, for Christmas shopping, usually someone might make a list of things they want and I'll pick things. So, I kind of trust them to know what they want. But yeah, when it's something for me, I do like to read reviews. Oh, >> you know, if I'm buying a book or something, I'll check out what people think of it, what they liked about it, what they didn't like. I'm not much of what we would call an impulse buyer, where I just, oo, that's cool. I want that. You know, I'll think about it a little bit. How about you? Do you take the advice of other people from those reviews? I'm the same because we don't actually get to see the product in front of us before we decide. So, it helps when we read the feedback from others. You know, maybe let's say we're buying a lamp. >> Mhm. Mhm. >> What does this lamp actually look like? >> Right. You know, does it work well? >> Does it work? >> Does it break very quickly? And often we'll get a score on those reviews. And that's another good thing about online shopping. when you're in the store, you might have to look it up on your phone. There won't be a score there. Now, how those scores are given to us can actually be really, really important. And that's what we're going to be looking at in our article today. Very interesting. And it's right there in the title. Why stars beat numbers when you shop online. So apparently those sites where they tell you it's four stars out of five, that works better with our brains than when they say it's four points out of five or something like that. >> It's kind of the same thing, isn't it? >> But stars beat numbers. Let's find out what that's all about. [Music]
Have you ever noticed that some websites use stars and others use numbers for ratings? While this may seem meaningless, a new study from the University of British Columbia reveals something surprising. Customers prefer stars to numbers, even when they mean the same thing. The reason is simple. Your brain plays tricks on you. When you see a rating like 3.5 stars, your brain sees three full stars and one half empty star. This makes you think almost four stars. [Music]
All right. So, to get your mind in the mood for our article, thinking about what we're talking about, imagine you're sitting on the sofa or someone around you is and they're doing some online shopping. They're picking out things, putting it in their little shopping cart, you know, choosing the things they want. The article says with a good question here, "Have you ever noticed that some websites use stars and others use numbers for ratings?" When we say a rating, we're talking about kind of like a grade that people give to a product, saying it's good, it's bad. If it's one or two out of five, it's not great. If it's four or five, it's very good. But some of them use stars instead of numbers. And of course, this would mostly be on websites because stores, they won't include this because people will probably buy less stuff. But with a website, you can compare and it makes shopping a little bit easier. So yes, of course, these days pretty much any store, company, business, or whatever, even you might have your own place on the internet, your own website. For example, Fiona checks that website every day for news. So, it's a news website. >> Okay. While this may seem meaningless, >> stars, numbers, you know, >> a new study from the University of British Columbia reveals something surprising. Customers prefer stars to numbers, even when they mean the same thing. >> That is kind of weird. So, we're talking about, let's say, a cup that has a four out of five rating. >> It's a pretty good cup. Four out of five or eight out of 10 or 80% of people like it. Okay. >> But do you like it more? >> Mhm. >> If you see that it has four stars out of five, >> four out of five stars. I got to buy it cuz it has stars and not numbers. Yeah. That is a weird thing to reveal about the human brain. >> Yeah, it actually means the same thing. But, you know, we just need a different thing to to explain it to us. >> Well, here we have the word the verb reveal. >> And when something you reveal something, you will are making something known to someone else. >> Okay? So, you're making something known to the public. You might reveal the latest dresses, you know, in fashion week. Okay. >> Okay. Or maybe you're hanging out with someone that you just met. And the more you hang out, the more they reveal of their personality. >> Oh, they kind of show you things that were hidden before. >> That's right. >> An example sentence is, "The article reveals the history behind the castle." >> Okay. So, it could be things that are hidden. It could also just be things that you didn't know, right? Things that you're learning, information you didn't know. Very interesting. And Henny is here to reveal all sorts of wonderful mysteries of grammar and vocab. I can't wait. Hello. Fore website reveal to Everyone seemed to enjoy the show. Seem to have they seem to have settled their differences. How dare prefer A to B. You should prefer A over B. Prefer A over B. Prefer A to B. Some people prefer texting to talking in person.
All right. So, a four out of five cup is, Yeah, it's okay. Four stars out of five. Oo, I really want that. That's what your brain is telling you. And why is your brain telling you? Because your brain is a liar. Well, no, it's not quite that. It's the reason is simple. Your brain plays tricks on you. I think we've learned this more and more. Your brain is not lying, but it does play tricks. Your brain likes things to be nice and simple, and everything fits in a group, and that kind of thing. And that apparently is what we're being told by this research from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Very, very interesting. >> That's right. >> When you see a rating like 3.5 stars, >> three and a half stars. Okay. Yeah. >> Your brain sees three full stars. >> Three full stars. Look at all one, two, three. Wow. and one half empty star >> and a baby almost star. >> So this makes you think almost four stars. >> Oh, interesting. >> So you see three stars and a half stars. So that's almost four. >> But if they write 3.5, then that's clearly a half. That's a.5. >> That is weird. Especially because when they make prices, they'll often make it $3.99 and your brain is going, "Oh, look, it's $3." Oh, yeah. But really, it's $4. Your brain is not very smart, is it? All right, let's go over to Hannie. Make dancing makes me feel relaxed. for the teacher made him stay after school.
>> All right, Mike. So, we've learned that our brains play tricks on us. >> Yes, they do. And if your brain is going to be tricked, it would rather be tricked with stars than with boring old numbers. Let's go to the second part of the article, read through that, and then we will be back to find out more ways our brain is lying to us. [Music]
However, when you see 3.5, your brain focuses on the first number and you think the product is closer to three than to four. These differences can affect businesses. Previous research has shown that higher ratings can lead to increased sales. For example, if a rating goes up by one star, sales could rise by 5 to 9%. Therefore, a product with 3.5 stars might sell better than the same product with a 3.5 number rating. The next time you shop online, remember stars can make us believe a product is better than it actually is. [Music]
All right, we are back and we are learning about how stars can make your brain go "oo" but numbers make your brain go "okay". So yes, we were learning that if you look at a review of a product on a website, say, and it says three and a half stars, there's three stars and a cute little half star. Your brain kind of says, "Hey, that cute little half star, that's almost a whole star, so this thing is pretty much like four stars, right?" But when we switch it to the other way with just boring old numbers, your brain thinks something quite different as it says. However, when you see 3.5, a number like in math class, and it might be three with a half, you know, like one over two, but yes, often on these reviews, they don't use a half, they use 0.5. So 3.5, just that simple plain number. Your brain focuses on the first number, the three. And you think the product is closer to three than to four because it's not 4 minus.5. It's 3.5. So really, it's like a three even though it's the same as three and a half stars. And >> that's very interesting. >> It is very interesting. And it could, of course, if your brain works this way, it could definitely affect how many products the company can sell, 'cuz that's what companies do. They sell products. Well, some companies don't, but many companies do. If it's made in a factory, if it's shipped to the store in a truck or in a train or whatever, and you buy it and it's something real you can touch and take home with you, that is a product. The other type of business would be a service. If someone does something for you, that's different. But if it's a solid object you can buy and move and take and sell and keep at home, that is a product. Everything from a car to a little bit of lipstick, it's a product. It's something you can buy in a store. For example, this store sells many skin care products. Some wonderful cream for my skin. And it was 4.5, which is basically five. So, it's perfect. These differences, we're talking about stars and numbers. These differences can affect businesses. >> Sure. >> Previous research has shown that higher ratings can lead to increased sales. >> Absolutely. >> Well, of course, when you see that something is rated four and a half stars, almost five stars. >> Yes. Absolutely. >> You're going to buy those that item. In the same way, if it's rated as two or two stars, the business will go down. >> Okay? So, the difference will be a big deal for businesses that want to sell more product. >> Okay? Here we have the word difference. It's a noun and we're basically we use this when we're talking about how we compare two or more things, right? So, the differences in something. So, for example, the color is the main difference between the two shirts. So, if you're choosing between two shirts, you like the same shirt, but I really like that pink one, but that blue one looks really nice, but it's actually the same shirt. >> Oh, so it looks the same. It's the same style, just the color is what is not the same. And what is not the same is the difference. Yeah. Here's a good example. It says, for example, if a rating goes up by one star, sales could rise by 5 to 9%. Wow, >> that's quite a lot. So, if a product was 3.5 stars and now, uh, they've changed it or just people like it more, now it goes up to 4.5, that means the company can sell five to nine, almost 10% more of that product. And of course, that can be a difference of millions and millions of dollars. Let's go over to HY one more time. difference. >> So, as we were reading, ratings make a difference, and star ratings compared to number ratings also make a difference. Therefore, or because of all this, a product with 3.5 stars might sell better than the same product with three with a 3.5 number rating. So, stars win out. >> Mhm. >> H. All right. So, yeah, therefore, this is an adverb and we use that to sort of say so or because of that. We often use it when talking about the result or the thing that we've learned from what came before. All right? So I explain something before you understand that. That leads me to the next thing that I want to explain. Therefore, or kind of like steps when we're talking about how things happen, the first thing happens. And then if the second thing happens, therefore, the third thing can happen because of that. Because of the things that happened before or because of the things we learned before, we now know other things. For example, Dave was sick. Therefore, he didn't go to school. So, as a result or because of being sick, he's not at school today. >> Okay. Well, we're here at the last part of the article. >> The next time you shop online, remember, stars can make us believe a product is better than it actually is. >> Or it can just make you more willing to buy that product because the stars make you go, "Oo, stars. It's so good." All right. You know what Hy gets out of five? She gets 5.5. >> Oh. >> Which is basically six. >> Yeah. >> Which is basically 100. >> Yeah. Therefore, therefore, >> okay. Well, Mike, before we go, we do have a question. >> Which type of rating do you trust more, stars or numbers? Why? >> Well, it's hard to answer because now I know all of this information. So, I would say I trust neither of them more because they feel like they're lying to me. No, I would probably That's a tough one. I would say I trust stars more because they feel more common. I just see them more on websites, but maybe that's because they know this stuff. But >> I don't know. I I'm not sure which I trust. I don't trust my brain very much. But knowing this, I think I will try to be a little more careful when I shop and when I read ratings and take advice from those. I think it's interesting. What about you? >> Well, after what you said, we've learned a lot from the article and now you know that stars, >> you know, they're just tricking you. >> I actually I don't see any difference between the two because they're the same thing. >> Yeah. As we've had explained to us in this very interesting and helpful article. So, there you go, guys. As you're clicking, as you're buying, as you're putting things in your shopping cart, think, engage your brain. Don't just mindlessly point at things and you take people's advice because these websites are very good at using your brain to get money out of you. So do think as you're shopping, it's a pretty good idea. [Music]
Have you ever noticed that some websites use stars and others use numbers for ratings? While this may seem meaningless, a new study from the University of British Columbia reveals something surprising. Customers prefer stars to numbers, even when they mean the same thing. The reason is simple. Your brain plays tricks on you. When you see a rating like 3.5 stars, your brain sees three full stars and one half empty star. This makes you think almost four stars. However, when you see 3.5, your brain focuses on the first number and you think the product is closer to three than to four. These differences can affect businesses. Previous research has shown that higher ratings can lead to increased sales. For example, if a rating goes up by one star, sales could rise by 5 to 9%. Therefore, a product with 3.5 stars might sell better than the same product with a 3.5 number rating. The next time you shop online, remember stars can make us believe a product is better than it actually is. website reveal product difference. Therefore, to B. Prefer A to B. Prefer A over B. [Music]
Calligraphy is a decorative handwriting or handwritten lettering. In Taong, there is a cool place that many people love to go to and it's called Calligraphy Greenway. Let's check out this popular tourist spot. The calligraphy greenway is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Taiong. This green belt combines art and culture, recreation, great food, and shopping. That's why the area is always very lively on weekends and holidays. The cultural and creative stands sell many different kinds of products such as accessories, leather goods, and handiccrafts. There are also some really good street performances. It's recommended that visitors check out the themed stores in the nearby alleys and lanes, too. You are sure to find something unique there. So, next time you are in Taong City, make sure to pay the calligraphy greenway a visit and see for yourself what makes it so appealing to people of all ages. [Music]