Previous research finds that ovulation—the time each month when women are
most fertile—can shift women’s mating psychology and increase their desire for
new options in men. However, might ovulation also increase women’s desire for
new products? Four studies find that women select a greater number of unique
options from consumer product sets at high fertility. This effect is especially strong
for women in committed relationships. Additional findings show that the fertility
shift in desire for variety in products is driven by the fertility shift in desire for new
options in men activating a variety-seeking mind-set. Subsequently, loyalty to a
romantic partner, whether manipulated or measured, moderated the effect of fertility
on consumer variety seeking. This research contributes to the literature by revealing
when, why, and how fertility influences desire for variety in consumer choice and
highlights the mating motives that underlie this effect.