Use With Care: 11 Mind Tricks that Erode Buyer Resistance

Use With Care: 11 Mind Tricks that Erode Buyer Resistance

After two digital marketing lectures, I have been surprised to realize that there are so many attractions, which are hidden traps, across the screen when surfing the Internet. According to the article, e-commerce websites are turning our own brains against ourselves by exploiting human psychology to create feelings of fear, excitement, or pleasure that influence your decision-making. Next time before clicking the links or checking out, keep an eye our for these ten methods that are designed to trick our clicks or money out from our pockets. Here are some of the smart tricks that I picked.

1.   “Only 1 in stock”

In comparison with “more than enough in stock,” which does not motivate a potential buyer to take action, I am certain many people will have a sense of urgency and a feeling of “If I don't buy it, it will be gone the next second.” Thus, it is very much likely that the person who browsed this merchandise would take the deal. Be aware! Inventories are kept artificially low to take advantage of this trick.

2.   “Limited Time Remaining”

Never trust this warning. This is a very popular tactic used by deal sites and private sales sites. By introducing a deadline, the websites create a sense of urgency in a similar way as the previous trick introduced. People, especially women shoppers, often make up their minds quickly when there is a sense of urgency. It is understandable because shoppers always want to seize the chance and save money big before the time expires.

3.     “Order today and you’ll have it by XXX day”

I lost count on how many times I have fallen into this trap. I have never received the merchandise that I purchased online the next day even the website has said so on the checkout page. Amazon is an expertise at using this clever trick. People often order gifts online, hoping to get it just on time to give it to someone. Well, I would feel sorry for those who actually believed the promised delivery time.

4.     “You save XX%”

I have just purchased a cashmere scarf with a 65% off online yesterday and when I saw this article, I feel dumbfounded. Both online and offline retailers know how powerful the psychological effect of “loss aversion” can be. For those who prefer to shop online, when they see the original price and the discount right next to each other, it is undeniable that their resistance to impulsive purchase is sharply eroded, which eventually end up purchasing the merchandise regardless its real utility.

5.     “Spend $50 and Get Free Shipping”

Nobody would want to miss out free shipping, but many of these shipping offers are contingent on a minimum order amount. This strategy can increase average order values and cover the cost of shipping for the e-commerce company. Have you ever decided to purchase something that has a price lower than the minimum free shipping requirement, and eventually assemble a group of items to purchase just to raise the total to get the free shipping service. I have! And I often regret about the extra items that I bought for no use.

6.     “Express Checkout”

I am not pointing at Amazon on purpose, but indeed it does a very good job on tricking customers and I believe they must have many intelligent marketing experts and psychologists. The e-commerce trick removes the cost of time and thought typically associated with the order process. And people sometimes make a wrong click on “Buy now with 1-Click” rather than the button they actually wanted to click, which is the “Add to Car.” Yes, I admit I have made this mistake before and bought a laptop case accidentally. However, I would say it is a beautiful mistake because I have been using the case for four years already.

Are you surprised to find out these tricks? Do you find yourself falling victim to their influence? I admire the application and the creativity of these trick creators. It would be a good idea to test some of these tactics on your own website if you ever wanted to start your business and sell products or services online. Just like the similar concepts we have learned in class, the webpage is designed to bring in more traffic and generate more sales. As customers, be aware of those tricks; however, as sellers, be good at those tricks.

Sources: http://blog.crazyegg.com/2014/11/04/ecommerce-mind-tricks/