Avoiding Personalization Fatigue: A Heuristics-Based Framework for Retail Digital Commerce

Abstract

While hyper-personalization in digital commerce has revolutionized user engagement, it also carries risks—namely, cognitive overload, user discomfort, and erosion of trust. This article introduces a multi-dimensional framework to mitigate personalization fatigue by addressing six interrelated dimensions: personalization density, content diversity, choice load, algorithmic transparency, user sovereignty, and emotional salience. Grounded in behavioral theory, UX design principles, and ethical technology literature, our framework provides actionable design strategies that align personalization systems with human cognitive and emotional limits. It proposes a structured methodology for evaluating these interventions through controlled A/B testing, including behavioral and qualitative metrics that signal fatigue. This article offers a roadmap for digital commerce platforms, researchers, and product designers seeking to balance algorithmic relevance with user well-being. The aim is not to scale back personalization, but to humanize it—building systems that are not only intelligent but also empathetic, transparent, and trusted.