There is a 'Repulsion Threshold' where your brain decides it doesn't just want to stop buying a brand—it actually wants to see it fail.
April 17, 2026
Original Paper
The Repulsion Threshold: A Behavioral Theory of Demand Destruction
SSRN · 6292038
The Takeaway
We used to think consumers just drifted away from brands when they found a better deal or lost interest. But this behavioral theory shows there is a mathematical tipping point where 'annoyance' turns into active 'repulsion.' Once a brand crosses this threshold by annoying you enough times, you develop a psychological drive to avoid them entirely and even celebrate their downfall. It’s not about the product anymore; it’s about your brain’s need to purge a negative influence from its environment. Brands aren't just losing customers; they're creating active enemies.
From the abstract
Existing demand theory explains why consumers buy-Veblen effects, bandwagon effects, snob effects, and prospect theory all model the positive forces driving consumption. This paper addresses a neglected question: why do consumers stop buying, not from satiation or substitution, but from cumulative annoyance? We introduce the concept of the Repulsion Threshold: the point at which accumulated negative interactions exhaust accumulated goodwill, transforming a neutral or positive customer into an ac