Tricks of online stores: how to stop falling for them?

The bad news is we’re being watched. But not Big Brother, but online stores: they know exactly what we are looking for, what attracts us and what bait will seem most appetizing to us. They know – and willingly put it on the hook. To stop falling for their bait, you need to know exactly what types of baits they use.

How do they do it? Why do we, without hesitation, acquire something that we did not even intend to? Here are five points that will help you understand what is happening and look at the shopping list more soberly.

1. The illusion that the goods are in short supply: “Hurry up – there is only one copy left!”

Many online stores show users how many items they are interested in are left. As a rule, not very much, but if you order right now, you can still have time to become the proud owner of this wonderful set of towels.

Is it true that in a week, tomorrow or even in a couple of hours the goods will not be available? Not a fact, but such a presentation adds value to the product in our eyes: if it is almost sold out, then it must be good.

What to do? At a minimum, remember that in this way sellers are trying to play on our feelings. As a maximum, postpone the purchase of a product if it is not desperately needed right now.

2. Feeling of urgency: “Don’t waste a minute, buy now!”

Often, online stores offer a discount on goods, which is valid for a strictly defined amount of time: for example, an hour or a day. Place an order now – and the goods will get you cheaper!

How not to fall for this bait? What if there really isn’t another chance like this? To begin with, look at how many products they offer such a discount: if for half the range, perhaps this is not a profitable offer, but an ordinary advertising ploy.

3. The illusion of savings: “You can buy this product cheaper from us!”

We all know that discounts are an old trick, but some shops go further: they not only list the original price of the product, but also the “last price” – the amount for which you can buy it, as well as the difference in price that you’re supposed to be saving. But it’s so nice to know how much you managed to save, right?

The problem is that some items have been sold at “last price” for years. So it will not be superfluous to postpone the purchase and return to the product page in a week.

4. Personalized Purchase: “You may also be interested in the following products”

Well, isn’t it nice to get personalized recommendations when someone or something (even a special algorithm) has bothered to compile a selection of what you might like, and even guessed a lot? You get the feeling that you are truly known. In general, it is.

Good online store platforms are designed in such a way that each user really gets a unique experience. Algorithms track our every click, every transition to a new page, the speed with which we scroll through it, mouse movements, and so on and so forth. It would seem, why is it bad? The fact that we are gradually persuaded to buy goods that we may not need at all.

5. Herd mentality: “Our users love it”

Before buying a particular product, most users read reviews and look at the average rating. But is it possible to trust these reviews and “stars”? Practice shows that this is far from always the case: in some online stores, reviews are written by the employees themselves, and there is no way to check this.

And now what to do – do not buy anything?

Unfortunately or fortunately, this is impossible: online stores really make our life more convenient, and we may really need certain goods. What we can do:

  • remember the tricks listed above and learn to notice them without automatically swallowing the bait;
  • choose goods, but let them “rest” in the basket for at least a day – during this time we can change our minds about buying them.

In the end, being a conscious buyer is not only pleasant, but also good for the wallet.

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