Zieglers decide to buy faster than Abbotts

WASHINGTON - People whose last name starts with a letter near the end of the alphabet react more quickly to opportunities to buy something than those whose surname starts with an early-alphabet letter, according to a recent study of consumer behavior.

But the trait is apparent only in relation to childhood last names, not for adult surnames, leading the authors of the study to hypothesize that it could be a reaction to the ordered world of childhood, in which Zs tend to go last and sit in the back row at school while As get first choice and front-row seats.

Researchers from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and Massey Graduate School of Business in Nashville put limited-time or quantity offers to several groups of graduate students, and found that the later in the alphabet the person's last name, the quicker they were to buy.