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Side Effects of Nudging: Evidence from a Randomized Intervention in the Credit Card Market
[Regulating consumer financial products: Evidence from credit cards]

Author

Listed:
  • Paolina C Medina

Abstract

This paper studies the direct and indirect effects of nudging, by means of a field experiment with a financial management platform in Brazil. Reminders for upcoming credit card payments reduced credit card late-payment fees by 14%, but increased overdraft fees in checking accounts by 9%. The unintended effect is concentrated in users with a history of overdraft use. These users experienced a net increase of 5% in total fees, while the rest experienced savings of 15%. The results provide clear insights for nudge design: like any policy action, nudges can have side effects, and one size may not fit all.

Suggested Citation

  • Paolina C Medina, 2021. "Side Effects of Nudging: Evidence from a Randomized Intervention in the Credit Card Market [Regulating consumer financial products: Evidence from credit cards]," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 34(5), pages 2580-2607.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rfinst:v:34:y:2021:i:5:p:2580-2607.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/rfs/hhaa108
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Maya Haran Rosen & Orly Sade, 2022. "The Disparate Effect of Nudges on Minority Groups," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 11(3), pages 605-643.
    2. John Beshears & James J. Choi & David Laibson & Brigitte C. Madrian & William L. Skimmyhorn, 2022. "Borrowing to Save? The Impact of Automatic Enrollment on Debt," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 77(1), pages 403-447, February.
    3. Campbell, Daniel & Grant, Andrew & Thorp, Susan, 2022. "Reducing credit card delinquency using repayment reminders," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    4. Bruce Carlin & Arna Olafsson & Michaela Pagel, 2023. "Mobile Apps and Financial Decision Making," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 27(3), pages 977-996.
    5. Barboni, Giorgia & Cardenas, Juan Camilo & de Roux, Nicolas, 2022. "Behavioral Messages and Debt Repayment," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 633, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    6. Gärtner, Florian & Semmler, Darwin & Bannier, Christina E., 2023. "What could possibly go wrong? Predictable misallocation in simple debt repayment experiments," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 28-43.
    7. L’Esperance, Madelaine, 2023. "Nudging credit union members to check their credit: Evidence from a field experiment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    8. Silvia Saccardo & Hengchen Dai & Maria A. Han & Sitaram Vangala & Juyea Hoo & Jeffrey Fujimoto, 2024. "Field testing the transferability of behavioural science knowledge on promoting vaccinations," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(5), pages 878-890, May.
    9. Jason Allen & Michael Boutros & Benedict Guttman-Kenney, 2024. "Credit Card Minimum Payment Restrictions," Staff Working Papers 24-26, Bank of Canada.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • G00 - Financial Economics - - General - - - General
    • G02 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Behavioral Finance: Underlying Principles
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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