New research suggests recent consumption has an outsized effect on what people buy next, especially when uncertainty is high. My kids love goin’ to Costco, especially when they know there’ll be lots of sample stations. For them, it’s part shopping trip, part entertainment, part snack time. For brands, it can be serious business. I’ve had clients sampling at Costco tell me some version of the same thing: “When we’re sampling, sales are brisk. When we’re not, totally different.” A new study...