Can't find your favorite toothpaste? Retailers are choosing for you

Just because your favorite shampoo or toothpaste disappears from the store shelf, doesn't mean it's discontinued. It might have been booted by your favorite store.

Retailers all over the country are reducing the number of products they carry, eliminating brands and in general being much more selective thanks to some pretty sophisticated software and the science behind it.

It's all based on the concept of "bounded rationality." That too much choice inhibits our ability to make a decision. In other words, 20 different kinds of jam is no better than six. In fact, it's worse. When faced with 20, a lot of people will just walk away empty handed. I did this recently when faced with what seemed like a bazillion types of caulk at a home improvement center. Just walked away. I'll take care of that problem another time.