3 sneaky tactics that websites use to make you spend | Your Money and Your Mind

Transcriber:

Worldwide, online retail has been on the rise.

翻译人员: Jun W 校对人员: Jiasi Hao

世界范围内， 零售业正在蓬勃发展。

In 2019 alone,

仅仅 2019 年一年， 网购交易额已达 3.8 万亿美元。

shoppers spent nearly 3.8 trillion dollars online.

And to keep those figures climbing,

为了保持这些数字的增长，

some companies are pulling out all of the stops

有些商家想尽一切办法 吸引你的注意力

to hold your attention and to keep you spending.

让你花更多钱。

To help you regain control of your shopping environment,

为了帮你重获对购物环境的掌控，

I'll identify three of their tactics

我会指出商家常用的三个把戏，

and share three tips to counteract them.

然后给你三个 能够对抗这些把戏的建议。

（音乐）

[Your Money and Your Mind with Wendy De La Rosa]

One online gimmick that sites use is gamification,

游戏化 是线上把戏之一，

and this is where websites use game design elements

指网站使用游戏设计元素

to get you to spend more time and more money on their sites.

吸引你在他们的网站上 花更多的时间和金钱。

Now, some sites have a virtual wheel for you to spin

有些网站会提供摇奖大转盘，

to get a chance at that day's discounts.

你或许有机会享受当日折扣。

Others, they let you accrue loyalty points

还有些网站， 基于你与网站的互动方式，

based on how you interact with the site.

你可以积累 “忠诚度积分”。

And that kind of gamification, in my mind, is really dangerous.

我认为 这种游戏化方式是很危险的。

In one classic experiment,

在一个经典实验中，

lab rats were more captivated by the random chance of pushing a lever

相比于固定进食时间的确定性，

and receiving a food pellet

实验室的老鼠更容易被

than by the certainty of a fixed food schedule.

推动杠杆随机性获得食物所吸引。

And we as humans are just the same.

我们人类也是如此。

We're enticed by the chance to win.

我们会被胜利的机会所吸引。

Just like at a slot machine in Vegas,

就像拉斯维加斯的老虎机，

you increase your dopamine levels every time you try your luck.

每次你尝试碰运气的时候， 多巴胺水平就会上升。

So my tip here is to avoid temptation altogether

所以我的建议就是 通过退订网购的电子邮件，

by unsubscribing from online shopping emails.

避开所有的诱惑你的东西。

You can't buy what you can't see,

你不能买看不见的东西，

and these emails are constant reminders

而在你快要忘记这些东西的时候，

that are intended to lure us back to the site

电子邮件利用游戏化的方式

with its gamifications and its gimmick,

不断提醒我们、诱惑我们

when you'd otherwise not be thinking about them.

再次回到网站上。

A second tactic online retailers use is scarcity.

在线零售商用的第二个把戏 是产品缺乏性。

Many sites now tell you

许多网站会告诉你

how many other customers are also viewing the same item,

有多少客户正在浏览同一件产品

making it seem like that item is very popular,

以此显得该产品很受欢迎，

and it's likely to go quickly.

于是就能卖得很快。

Similarly, websites will use a timer for your basket,

类似的做法就是 网页会设置一个计时器，

pushing and pushing the message

反复推送消息，提醒你说：

that these potential items won't be available for long.

购物车里的产品很快就要断货了。

Research shows that the perceptions of a product's scarcity

研究证明，顾客对产品稀缺性的感知

can increase its value in the eye of the shopper

可以增加产品对该顾客的价值，

and increase a shopper's willingness to buy.

以及增加其购买意愿。

Scarcity can also make people feel more competitive and selfish as well.

产品稀缺性也可以 让人感到更具竞争力且更自私。

So here's my tip to help you combat scarcity:

针对这一点，我建议：

when scarcity is tempting you,

如果产品稀缺性正在 诱惑你的时候，

back away from the website, back away from the car

离开网站和你的购物车，

and sleep on it.

睡上一觉。

That can help you decide whether or not you really need

这会帮助你决定

whatever it is that you were planning on buying.

你是否真的需要 你正打算购买的产品。

离开网站至少一天的时间，

Leave the site for at least an entire day

and see if you're still itching for the item.

然后再看你是否还想购入那个产品。

This approach works best if you use an incognito browser

如果使用浏览器的隐身模式， 效果会最好，

so you won't be haunted by the ads for the product

因为这样你不会在浏览网页时 被此产品的广告缠身。

everywhere you go.

The third tactic that companies use

公司用的第三个把戏

is to allow you to pay in installments.

就是允许分期付款。

A number of e-commerce sites have adopted payment schemes

一些在线购物网站 采用一种支付方式——

that will let you order an item and pay for it later.

让你下单一件产品， 以后再付钱。

Now, installment plans are useful

如果你想要更换

if you're replacing a large, expensive item,

一件大而昂贵的物品， 比如一个坏冰箱，

like a broken refrigerator.

分期付款计划会很有用。

But I think these installment plans veer towards predatory

但我觉得当你购买非急需、 不那么重要的商品时，

when you're purchasing less urgent, less important items.

这些分期付款计划就会 具有掠夺性。

Looking at small monthly payments

看着每月的小额付款

psychologically decreases the cost of those new sneakers

新鞋和新牛仔裤的价格 会在心理上降低。

or new pair of jeans.

And that mental trickery

而这个心理作用

means that you're more likely to buy additional items.

意味着你更可能购买更多商品。

虽然这和使用信用卡的 感觉不一样，

And while it may feel different from a credit card,

you still owe these companies money.

但你仍旧欠这些公司钱。

So at the end of the day, you're still taking on debt

所以到头来， 你依然在承担负债，

and potentially adding late fees and interest,

并可能还会增加滞纳金和利息，

and you may find yourself owing a lot more

最后你可能发现自己欠的钱 远多于那些裤子的标签原价。

than the original sticker value for those jeans.

So here's my third and final tip:

所以我的第三个并且是 最后一个建议：

above all else, do not use these payment installment plans.

无论什么时候 都不要使用这些分期付款计划。

If you want an actual discount,

如果你想要真正的折扣，

there are browser plug-ins you can use

你可以使用浏览器插件

that will help you find the best deals.

帮你找到最优惠的价格。

在线零售是购物变得极其方便，

Online retail has made shopping incredibly convenient,

but not every day needs to feel as overwhelming as Black Friday.

但不是每天都需要经历 黑色星期五的压力。

By putting these tips into practice,

通过应用以上三条建议，

you can tune out some of the tricks and the gimmicks,

你可以躲避一些网站上的噱头，

and once again, regain control of your shopping environment.

于是再一次， 重获对购物环境的掌控。