Emma Peaslee

Sort of, because that method did rely entirely on us being sneaky. We were hiding eggs in a blinded survey, so that's probably only going to work one time. What about the next time Sam has a dozen eggs?

Hi, girls. Sam Mertens is up early to give his hens some treats.

Hi, girls. Sam Mertens is up early to give his hens some treats.

Hi, girls. Sam Mertens is up early to give his hens some treats.

Now, before we decide how to allocate the next dozen eggs from Sam, we needed to have a delicate conversation with him.

Now, before we decide how to allocate the next dozen eggs from Sam, we needed to have a delicate conversation with him.

Now, before we decide how to allocate the next dozen eggs from Sam, we needed to have a delicate conversation with him.

But the thing is, how much someone is willing to pay is a very useful, very economics-y data point that we would love to use as we figure out who values Sam's eggs the most. Or as we put it to Sam, I don't know how else to say this, but planet money gonna planet money. And it's very hard for us to not use price to some degree.

But the thing is, how much someone is willing to pay is a very useful, very economics-y data point that we would love to use as we figure out who values Sam's eggs the most. Or as we put it to Sam, I don't know how else to say this, but planet money gonna planet money. And it's very hard for us to not use price to some degree.

But the thing is, how much someone is willing to pay is a very useful, very economics-y data point that we would love to use as we figure out who values Sam's eggs the most. Or as we put it to Sam, I don't know how else to say this, but planet money gonna planet money. And it's very hard for us to not use price to some degree.

However, this method has some problems.

However, this method has some problems.

However, this method has some problems.

Oh, interesting. Rebecca Dizon-Ross, not one of our colleagues, you Chicago economist, big egg spender, apparently.

Oh, interesting. Rebecca Dizon-Ross, not one of our colleagues, you Chicago economist, big egg spender, apparently.

Oh, interesting. Rebecca Dizon-Ross, not one of our colleagues, you Chicago economist, big egg spender, apparently.

Willingness to pay is simply the absolute maximum dollar amount someone is willing to pay for something. But that is deceptively complicated to measure. Like if we just ask our NPR egg colleagues, hey, what's the most you would pay for a dozen eggs? You know, like we did with Rebecca.

Willingness to pay is simply the absolute maximum dollar amount someone is willing to pay for something. But that is deceptively complicated to measure. Like if we just ask our NPR egg colleagues, hey, what's the most you would pay for a dozen eggs? You know, like we did with Rebecca.

Willingness to pay is simply the absolute maximum dollar amount someone is willing to pay for something. But that is deceptively complicated to measure. Like if we just ask our NPR egg colleagues, hey, what's the most you would pay for a dozen eggs? You know, like we did with Rebecca.

So how then do you get people to zero in on that true value? Well, economists and researchers... have developed a very clever way to do this. It's a little topsy-turvy. I'll be honest, it took me a couple times to really understand it, but it is so cool and has become my new favorite cocktail party trick. And we're going to show you how we use this on our egg-curious NPR colleagues.