A neurotypical shopper visits your site looking for running shoes. They browse the running category, compare several models, check out hiking boots while they're there, add a water bottle to cart, and maybe buy two pairs of shoes they're deciding between.
An autistic shopper visits your site looking for running shoes. They've already spent three hours researching the exact model they want. They search for it directly. They read every specification on the product page. They need nothing else. They either buy that specific shoe or leave.
Your site is optimized for the first shopper. The second shopper—who knew exactly what they wanted—somehow can't find enough information to complete the purchase.
This is monotropism in action: the cognitive tendency toward deep, focused attention on single interests or tasks rather than distributed attention across multiple things. Many autistic individuals experience monotropic cognitive processing, and it fundamentally changes how they shop.
Ecommerce sites built for browse-and-explore behavior systematically fail monotropic shoppers who arrive with singular, researched focus.
Monotropism describes how attention and processing resources get allocated. Monotropic minds funnel cognitive resources into fewer channels with greater depth. Polytropic minds (typical processing) distribute resources across many channels simultaneously.
In shopping, this manifests as:
Monotropic approach:
Polytropic approach:
Neither is better. They're different. But ecommerce optimization overwhelmingly caters to polytropic shopping, leaving monotropic shoppers underserved.
Product recommendation engines are ecommerce gospel. Amazon's "Customers who bought this also bought..." reportedly drives 35% of their revenue. Every platform offers recommendation widgets.
For monotropic shoppers, these are attention traps at best, conversion killers at worst.
The monotropic shopper researching mechanical keyboards has already:
They arrive at your site, find that keyboard, and encounter: "You might also like these 8 other keyboards!"
What you think this does: Shows them options they might prefer.
What it actually does:
The monotropic shopper doesn't want alternatives. They want comprehensive information about the product they've already selected. Recommendations don't help—they hinder.
Example: Autistic consumer shopping for specific water bottle
After researching thermal retention properties, material safety, and volume specifications, an autistic shopper identifies a specific Hydro Flask model. They visit the Hydro Flask site.
The product page shows the bottle with basic specs, then immediately displays: "Customers also viewed" (6 different bottles), "Complete your collection" (accessories), "You may also like" (insulated food containers).
The shopper needed: detailed thermal performance data, exact material composition, dimension specifications, care instructions, warranty details.
The site provided: suggestions to look at different bottles.
They leave to find technical specifications elsewhere. Cart abandoned—not because they don't want the bottle, but because the site prioritized recommendations over depth.
Monotropic shoppers don't need breadth across your catalog. They need depth on the specific product they've researched.
What deep product pages include:
Not basic specs—comprehensive technical data. For a laptop: exact component model numbers, thermal design power, display color gamut measurements, battery chemistry, port specifications including data transfer rates, chassis material composition and thickness measurements.
Monotropic shoppers are reading this. They're comparing it to their research. This is the information they need to verify their product selection is correct.
What is this actually made from? How is it constructed? What manufacturing processes were used?
Example: Patagonia product pages
Patagonia provides exhaustive material details: "Face fabric: 3.1-oz 50-denier 100% recycled nylon ripstop with a DWR finish. Lining: 2-oz 100% recycled polyester plain weave."
This serves monotropic shoppers who need to know exactly what they're buying. "High-quality materials" is marketing speak. "50-denier recycled nylon ripstop" is information.
Not just "dimensions: 10 x 5 x 3 inches." Provide measurements of every relevant aspect. For clothing: pit-to-pit measurements, sleeve length from center back, rise measurements, inseam, hem width.
Monotropic shoppers with sensory sensitivities or specific fit requirements need this data to determine if the product will work for them.
Not generic "machine wash cold."
Specific instructions: water temperature range, which detergents are compatible, drying method and temperature, storage recommendations, expected lifespan under specified use conditions.
Monotropic research includes understanding long-term product maintenance. Vague care instructions leave questions unanswered.
Don't bury this in footer links. Monotropic shoppers are assessing purchase risk. Warranty terms, return window, and return process details belong on the product page where they're making the decision.
Monotropic shoppers use search differently than polytropic browsers.
Exact product name searches: "Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones" not "noise canceling headphones"
Model number searches: "SKU: ABC123" directly from their research
Specific specification searches: "mechanical keyboard cherry mx brown" not "gaming keyboard"
Return visits to same product: Checking back multiple times before purchasing as they complete research
✅ Prioritize exact matches over algorithmic "relevance"
✅ Support model number and SKU searches
✅ Handle specification-based searches
✅ Remember search history to re-surface previously viewed products
✅ Don't force category browsing when user searches specific product
❌ Returning "you might like these similar items" instead of exact match
❌ Requiring category selection before showing search results
❌ Autocorrecting specific model numbers to "related searches"
❌ Showing "trending" or "popular" results instead of exact query match
❌ Limiting search to product names, not specifications
Example: Searching for "Pilot G2 0.38mm black"
Bad search result: Shows all Pilot pens, sorted by popularity. The 0.38mm black is buried on page 3.
Good search result: Shows exact match first: Pilot G2 0.38mm black. Then, if you must, show alternatives.
The monotropic shopper searched with that specificity intentionally. Respect it.
Most ecommerce sites emphasize category navigation: browse men's shoes, filter by style, compare options.
Monotropic shoppers don't navigate this way. They've already narrowed to specific product through external research. They need direct path to that product.
Your navigation should support both:
For polytropic browsers: Rich category structure, filters, comparison tools, featured collections.
For monotropic focused: Prominent search, direct product links, minimal clicks from search to product page, no forced category browsing.
Example: REI.com
REI supports both approaches. Browsers can explore "Women's Hiking Boots" category with extensive filters. Focused shoppers can search "Salomon Quest 4 GTX" and immediately reach that specific boot's page.
The site doesn't force the monotropic shopper to browse the 247 hiking boots to find the specific one they researched.
Here are some ways to optimize your site to support all kinds of shoppers.
Invest in depth, not breadth. One complete, specification-dense product page serves monotropic shoppers better than ten shallow pages.
"Show me related products" as an opt-in button, not forced above-the-fold content. Let monotropic shoppers focus without distraction.
Exact matches trump algorithmic relevance. If someone searches a model number, show them that model, not "similar items."
On long product pages, show progress: "Technical specifications, reviews, care instructions below." Let monotropic readers know comprehensive information exists.
Offer a "detailed specifications view" that removes recommendations and marketing fluff, showing only technical information.
Search should be sufficient to reach any product. Category browsing is one path, not the only path.
Remember products users researched previously. When they return days later to complete purchase, make that product immediately accessible.
Monotropic shoppers are valuable customers. They research extensively, know exactly what they want, and rarely return products they've thoroughly vetted. They're not browsing—they're ready to buy.
But they need depth, not breadth. Specifications, not suggestions. Direct paths, not category exploration.
Build for both shopping styles. Let browsers browse. Let researchers research. Convert both.
Winsome Marketing helps brands serve monotropic and polytropic shoppers simultaneously. We identify where browse-optimized experiences fail focused shoppers and create information architecture that converts both. Let's build commerce that works for different minds.
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