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The Forgotten Middle

Episode 21

The Forgotten Middle

June 24, 2026 · 20:04

The Gym: Paying Not to Go

DellaVigna & Malmendier, “Paying Not to Go to the Gym,” American Economic Review 96(3), 2006, pp. 694–719 (members on flat monthly contracts averaged ~4.3 visits/month, >$17 per visit vs. a $10 ten-visit pass; monthly members slower to cancel than annual)
Full working-paper PDF (UC Berkeley)

Loyalty Programs: The Forgotten Member

Bond Brand Loyalty — The Loyalty Report 2023 (U.S. consumers belong to ~18 programs, active in about half)
McKinsey — “Next in loyalty: Eight levers to turn customers into fans” (programs built around top-tier customers; active members spend ~10% more, redeemers ~25% more than inactive)

The Design Principle: Perpetual Intermediates

Alan Cooper, About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design — most users are “perpetual intermediates”; interfaces neglect the majority in the middle

The Office Ribbon: Jensen Harris

Product Mentioned

Website Reality Check — Johns & Taylor Services

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