Hello,
Black Friday is behind us, so I would like to propose a discussion about dark patterns in user experience design.
Dark Patterns are tricks used in websites and apps that make you buy or sign up for things that you didn't mean to.
One of the examples could be booking.com website, which is constantly using this kind of tricks to push the leverage in our mind that is responsible for making decisions.
https://thenextweb.com/contributors/2017/09/21/booking-com-uses-stress-rush-decisions/
More of dark patterns websites are also listed at
https://darkpatterns.org/
Do you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
Regards,
Artur
Do you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteOf course the booking.com is the primary example, but there is so many websites and applications on the market using such tricks. Another example are applications where you have to allow access to all data on your phone to use it. Because of that app provides have all possible information about you and can sell such data. Online shops and their’s regulations that you have to accept before buying. I will not even mention regulations of online competitions.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
First and foremost are regulations that we have to accept (checking that box that you have read regulations and accept it) but they are super long, complicated and very often this file is not even possible to open so you agree without knowing what you accept. Secondly accepting sharing your data for marketing information purposes. After accepting that you have endless spam mails and phone calls, which is not only frustrating but in many ways dangerous. Additionally login through facebook, twitter or google account. This provide access to your profile and a lot of information that can be used and very often is even without your knowledge.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
Whenever there are so called ‘sales’ I am very conscious about choices I make. I don’t relay on the banners, mails and tv spots. I usually have list of things that I am looking for and I compare price changes over a period of time and I know when it is really worth to buy. For instance Zalando offering -20% during Black Friday increased prices and removed previous promotions and after day was over prices got back on promotion and was even lower than during Black Friday. So many shops uses psychological tricks like that.
Thank you for your comment, I've also heard about shops that artificially increase their prices right before this kind of promotions, so they can offer fake "occasions".
DeleteThanks to the author for this article. This is a very interesting and relevant topic to date
ReplyDeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
Yes, of course, many times. For example - AliExpress.com, they have their famous pattern "SNEAK INTO BASKET", when the basket is the product that you did not choose, a lot of small sites that ask for your authorization through a social network, and after they post ads on your page. it is called "FRIEND SPAM". The following example - "BAIT AND SWITCH" and its most famous example - Microsoft with the update Windows 10, when you have a choice between "yes update" and "ok". The most common example of dark patterns is DISGUISED ADS, When you you click "next" and redirects you to another page.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
I once used web services "Amazon Cloud Services", and the first month of its use was free, and for limited hours, but registration required a binding to the bank card and pay them one dollar. After a free period, they signed me to a paid subscription, and at the end of the month they demanded 700 dollars from my card. About a month of my letters and calls to them, they were reviewing my case, and cancel the fee. but it cost a lot of nerves. And this is a dark pattern called "FORCED CONTINUITY".
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
luckily no, but I saw a lot of photos on the Internet where before the black Friday prices were inflated, then to the same goods to give a discount.
Yes, "forced continuity" is a good example of the dark patterns. Nowadays, lots of online services require from you to leave your card number due to registration procedure, assuring us that the service is free. And then, free period is being changed to paid period without any notification before that happens. It is very annoying and dangerous practice.
DeleteThank you for an interesting article. When it comes to tricks used by booking.com I've recently come across some similar practices when doing X-mas shopping. One of the first examples that comes to my mind is Zalando Lounge, website which gives you a false idea of exclusiveness for luxurious items in a significantly lower price. Of course the "promotion" lasts only for a couple of hours or days. Same approach was taken over by H&M during its Black Week, but the marketing department of this company went one step further, as it was advertised that particular items will come and go and so the customers should hurry up. As far as inflating prices is concerned the best example for that is 5-10-15. This company is always changing prices before lowering them down. Very often products on sale cost more than when they were available in regular price. But you know... People will buy everything on sale, as long as they have a feeling that they saved money.:)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your opinion. Of course, it's very interesting indeed when we take into consideration that shop is selling something at lower prices (which is implicit of their "loss") and we can get those products only in that particular sales moment (our "win"). However, in that game, "casino is always a winner" ;)
DeleteThank you for an interesting article. Supermarket chains have perfectly mastered the technique of price manipulation. Unfortunately, a lot of people believe that. Let's think for a moment - in large supermarket chains, sales (on various occasions) last about one quarter a year or more - and these are commercial institutions - not charitable. Thus, the price during the sale is probably a price with a small profit but with a profit. If the store is in the habit of doing 80% of sales, the standard price includes 20% of the price of the goods and 80% - the costs of trade. Otherwise, the costs of trade are about four times higher than the price of goods purchased from the producer. Another interesting issue is juggling with prices mentioned in the above texts. This procedure has been around for a very long time - I remember Janusz Weiss talking about it on Radio Zet over ten years ago. He discussed Media Markt. This is an old psychological trick - but it works. I like how I see some sellers to investigate how much this commodity costs in online stores - the comparison is very interesting.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. By the way, your comment about Media Markt reminded me of their TV ad, where this shop was "fighting" with another brand: Saturn, in which those brands were comparing to themselves assuring us, that first has a better offer than the second. In the end, cash landed in the same account of Metro AG group, which is an owner of both brands.
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteYes, I often book accommodation through booking.com. First time I've almost got caught by this announcement about almost sold apartments but after time I've got used to that and I think that I do not care about it anymore. Usually, I rely on reviews of customers paying attention to the time of reviews.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
I often see never-ending sales on some websites or description that it is 'the last item' when usually it is not.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
No, I have no such experience but I've seen that now some products that were on sale last week, are still on sale even bigger one. I think that Black Friday is not always the best price they can offer so sometimes it is worth to wait longer.
Thanks for your opinion. What you say about the Black Friday is interesting, I suppose that this event in Poland is not the same as, for example, in the USA. Their sales are huge and last for a very limited time, so people are crazy about shopping then. In our country, people are not so crazy, as they saw that prices are not so low and, additionally, were artificially increased to be lowered because of the occasion of the Black Friday. So it is an “Polish Black Friday” style with different approach than in other countries.
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteI must say that it's a very interesting topic. Booking.com was an excellent example of this pattern. Even though, I know that it can be misleading, I'm still looking at notifications. I must say that I never had a problem with booking, but the pressure is there.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
Any kind of subliminal message. Hard to close advertisements and so on.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
I'm avoiding this craziness.
Mateusz, respect that you are able to avoid the sales craziness, but I wonder if is possible to manage this situation with the rational approach. For example: when you are aware of all the possible tricks, could you avoid wrong decisions and buy only this stuff you: a) really need b) are really cheaper than usually. Fully agree with the annoying ad that is hard to close. It is a disaster, ‘thanks, gods’ AdBlock and similar softs exist.
Delete1. Do you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to online shops I don't have any insight. But when we want to talk about stationary shops I can give you some examples. First one will be music which you can hear in shops. Second thing will be product placement, for example bread is usually at the end of mall so you need to go through whole market to get what you want and also during your walk you can see some nessesary products for you.
2. Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
When it comes to online shops I don't know any.
3. Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
When I am thinking about it I must say that I dont recall this kind of situation, usually I know what I want to buy and also I know price for particular products. Sometimes during year prices can increse or decrese but I have not noticed increasing price on product that I want to buy before sale (maybe it depends on product)
Tomasz, thanks for your answers. Regarding stationary shops I heard that there is an additional reason to place bakery at the end of the shop – as a customer you will smell the fresh bread and automatically be hungry (even if you are not).
DeleteUnfortunately, I don't have any insights in this field, but I find this topic very interesting. When I think about it there is something psychologically pleasant in buying products or services from such websites actually. I mean, when I know what I want to buy and have some expertise in the field I'm absolutely ok with the sales webpage without any black magic tricks persuading me to make a purchase and I'll be happy I bought a good product for a cheap price. However, sometimes, as weird as it may sound, I even prefer to shop on the site using such tricks as it makes believe that I made a good deal.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if something like this exists but one could analyze the price range of products you're looking at on the site and hide similar but cheaper products to make you buy the more expensive versions. Or maybe sellers can manipulate product descriptions in such a way that it makes you think that you must buy some add-ons to start using the main product in a way you wanted to use it.
I rarely make use of such promotions as Black Friday.
I can understand your point of view. When think about it, all these tricks (if not illegal) can make you feel happy like you described. Booking a room which all people want to book in the same time as you, and to be the first one, with the cheapest price? Simple win!
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteAs you mentioned, we had Black Friday recently. I wasn't in any shop then, but I've seen some photos, e.g. from the Russian supermarket where the "new special price" was the same as the one below the special offer sticker.
What is inside the shops is a result of work of experts, who know how psychology and other things work. This is not the coincidence that chips and peanuts are next to beers ;)
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
I remember an online shop, where right after entering the product details, there was a popup notification like "add this to your cart within the next minute and you will get some other product cheaper". Or other similar messages.
Also, Amazon sends e-mails like "Based on your latest visits we recommend..."
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
No, not me. I just don't believe in Black Friday.
You are right, there is nothing coincidental. But sometimes is worth to be aware of all these tricks, as they can be illegal or cheating).
DeleteI saw Aliexpress is having some "sale day". Before that they have big campaign that in X days prices will be cut. They are using gasification where you can earn some coins which therefore you can use to buy some products from SELECTED sellers. Before "sale day" prices has been raised and back to normal price at the "sale day".
ReplyDelete2. Marketing tricks. I think all practices from negotiations are used everywhere.
3. I was travelling during black Friday so I do not have opportunity to observe market.
Unfortunately, some of the sellers are thinking that increasing the price before the proper sale is the best approach and customers will not notice it.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteunfortunately I met the situations similar to those mentioned in the article about booking.com and it was concerning this issue. I was on the holiday, sight-seeing with three small kids in Italy. I rented a car and tried to visit the places four hundred kilometers from our base hotel (we’ve been there for two weeks). So I needed the idea of the place to spend one night. It was enough to visit booking.com only once – I started receiving messages making me to decide faster and faster. It was really stressful.
Every localization I’ve checked since then (I tried several times more, unfortunately) as a result gave me always too many back information I expected.
I am very angry, when I am conscious someone tries to use some tricks on me. For example asking me to buy something more than I need, remembering previous shopping and coming back again and again with the same suggestions.
I don’t have experience with shopping on Black Friday, I am never interested such events as exaggerated and provoking people to spend too much money.
Fully agree. Additionally, it is not only stressing, but also annoying, when you receive spam with offers you really don't need to receive.
DeleteHi, thanks for these interesting sites. I think it is an important topic for us, as customers.
ReplyDeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
Regarding the article, I have to admit I use mainly booking.com as well as youtube and I don't have Instagram nor Snapchat account so I have not experienced presented situations. However, I have already noticed the approach used by the first two services. It is helpful to follow the prices during a week in order to outfox the site. On the other hand, why would one use such a duplicitous site instead of searching prices on the sites of the hotels?
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
I am afraid I don't know. And it is sad because I am/was probably a 'victim' of such a trick.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
I have to admit I was willing to buy coffee table a few weeks before Black Friday. I was following prices of three products and indeed I have noticed a significant inflation of the prices in two shops 1 or 2 weeks before Black Friday to cut them slightly eventually.
Answering your question: for example, booking.com aggregates all offers and there you can find rooms you wouldn't even find using searcher. Many hotels/guests rooms use only this kind of sites so they don't have to spend money on their own website (hosting, domain, preparing the website and then maintenance, promotion). The site which aggregate offers will do everything and cheaper in comparison to costs counted separately for all hotels/guests rooms.
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteGoogle is not exactly a shop, but I would like share the story about Gmail service. I've heared that according to user policy Google has a right to read all attached files. I knew about mail contents analysis made by them but reading private documents is for me one step too far.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
I've heared about price changes for plane ticets based on customer activity. If you visit website for the second time it means you are really interested in offer so you can pay more. Truly I don't think it is dishonest. It is just implementation of theoretical economical model of demand and supply. Customer has perfect knowledge about supply thanks to 'Ceneo'. On the other hand airlines has almost complete knowledge about passenger demand.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
I don't have any experience in extra sales and I'm not going to have.
Piotr, you are right about plane tickets, some sites do something like that.
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteVirtually any conversion optimisation can be treates as black pattern as we are researching users behaviours and psychological aspects in order to convert/sell.
I was taking part many times in conversion optimization so yes I'm aware of techniques and practices.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
You can google LIFT model where you have a whole framework for conversion optimisation and many examples for optimizing the page in the context of Urgency for example.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
No I'm shopping when I need something not when shopping industry is making an event
Conversion optimization is not the same as black patterns. Some of them are illegal.
DeleteTill now I don't have experiance in buying in Black Friday or Cyber Monday. If I need something and I have money i simply buy things and not waiting till this day otherwise i risk to buy thing I am not needed. I reached some dark patterns on site udemy.com when many courses are discounted for next few hours. I belive this courses are still reduced.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about Udemy:) Thanks for your answer.
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteDo you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
I use Booking.com when I travel, so all the tricks described in an article are well known to me. I agree they create impression of a really good deal that will disappear soon, so if someone is not familiar with the portal might get fooled. About tricks in other online shops and services: as Christmas is coming, I have an impression that there are 'sales' in majority of stores, super special prices for sets of articles, 'free' articles added to expensive ones etc.
Today I made online shopping for my dog and I saw an advertisement saying 'if you love your dog you should buy him a hairbrush' :))
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
Usually I don't buy during Black Friday / Cyber Monday so I did not have such experience.
Example you provided is really frustrating. Even if some can think that regarding pets that suggestion (that if you love, you should buy...) is ok, imagine the same ad copy about kids, husband or wife, etc. Thanks for this example of the very bad black pattern.
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteI thought that such kind of tricks is something normal. Online stores have been using such methods for a long time. I can quote many webpages as examples. I think that ebay.com is the best example.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
None of the others mentioned in the article and presented in the movie comes to my mind. However, I think that one of the worst is to hide the truth and present only positive opinions about the product.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
I did not analyse this problem very much. However, I often feel that occasional price reductions are due to earlier price increases. Currently we have the end of the year and it causes the desire to sell old goods and hence we have such sales.
Damian, I think that you can find many tricks that could affect conversion and increase sell so I agree - many shops use "tricks" in general. The question is, which uses tricks that are called 'black pattern' because it is not appropriate.
DeleteI hate this kind of marketing, so I avoid shopping during Black Fridays, Cyber Mondays or whatever Pink Sundays so-called "marketing ninjas" comes up with. This kind of thick is constantly used by the online courses provider - website Udemy. This is the reason why I stopped using it. And this is also a reason I rarely use Booking.com.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any more examples than those presented in your article (thanks for it, anyway!) and I wish I wouldn't have a possibility to get any in the future.
Thanks for your comment. I can totally understand your approach.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
This kind of tricks is present in most of online stores. There are a scripts that track your preferences and tries give you suggestions what do you need or better - what should you need. Other kind of methods are promotions of products that occupies warehouse space - but shops presents them as “Most popular products :)”
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
Tracking of our preferences is most interesting example. There are sophisticated methods that can group clients and prepare content that meets their expectations.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
I was looking for something last Cyber Monday and prices were not lower in the store. On the doors were huge poster about Cyber Monday and discounts :). Nevertheless I bought this product anyway.
I agree, but we have to remember that conversion optimization or tracking of preferences is not the same as mentioned black patterns.
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to give a specific example but there is a lot of them in the web. I think the most awful trick is to set ads that looks like standard content and you never know are you clicking on some valuable content or on an ad.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
The example that I gave in previous point is something like that.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
I think everyone had such experience, it is a common practice in our country
Dawid, I agree, content that is an ad and without information is a black pattern and is misleading.
DeleteDo you have some insights on this kind of tricks being used in shops where you were the customer? If yes, could you provide an example?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately yes...it's annoying when you want to buy only one thing but shop try to get you something additional. Not so long ago (now it get change) when I buy mobile phone in Media Markt to my order were added something more (now I'm not sure what was it-meybe cover on glass). I recognize that something was wrong when I have to pay more than mobile phone price.
Do you know any other marketing tricks (that sometimes could be on the border of legality) which are being used in sales websites?
Tracking users preferences and preparing "special promotion" for him.
Maybe you have some experience with shopping during Black Friday / Cyber Monday, where the price was artificially inflated?
Of course! Moreover my friend works in one very popular shop with electronics (I don't want to say name of it) and on Black Friday the price get -10, -20 or -50 percent lower...but one day before get higher so the price stay on the same level.
What's funny, people bought a lot of equipment which couldn't be sell for half of year...