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

Transcriber:

Worldwide, online retail has been on the rise.

譯者: Wei-Yu Shih 審譯者: Yi-Ping Cho (Marssi)

全球網路零售持續在增加。

In 2019 alone,

單單在 2019 年，

shoppers spent nearly 3.8 trillion dollars online.

消費者就花了 將近 3.8 兆美元在網購上。

And to keep those figures climbing,

為了持續提高銷售量，

some companies are pulling out all of the stops

有些公司用盡手段，

to hold your attention and to keep you spending.

抓住你的注意力並讓你持續消費。

To help you regain control of your shopping environment,

為了讓你能掌控自己的消費環境，

I'll identify three of their tactics

我會告訴你這些公司使用的三種策略，

and share three tips to counteract them.

並分享對付它們的方法。

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

[你的金錢和你的思想-溫迪·德拉羅莎]

One online gimmick that sites use is gamification,

網站使用的其中一種手法 是將東西遊戲化。

and this is where websites use game design elements

網站會使用遊戲的元素

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

讓你花更多時間和金錢 在他們的網站上。

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

現在，有些網站上有虛擬轉盤

to get a chance at that day's discounts.

讓你有機會得到每日折扣。

Others, they let you accrue loyalty points

還有些則會依照你和網站的互動，

based on how you interact with the site.

累積你的紅利點數。

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

在我眼中這些遊戲化的行銷 非常危險。

In one classic experiment,

在一項經典的實驗中，

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

小白鼠著迷於

透過拉桿隨機取得飼料的程度

and receiving a food pellet

than by the certainty of a fixed food schedule.

遠高於固定時間的餵食。

And we as humans are just the same.

我們人類也是如此。

We're enticed by the chance to win.

我們被贏的機會所吸引。

Just like at a slot machine in Vegas,

就像拉斯維加斯裡的角子機，

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

你的多巴胺激素會隨著 每次試手氣時上升。

So my tip here is to avoid temptation altogether

而我抵擋這些誘惑的秘訣，

by unsubscribing from online shopping emails.

就是取消訂閱線上購物的電子郵件。

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

看不到的東西你就買不到，

and these emails are constant reminders

那些郵件都是固定的提醒，

that are intended to lure us back to the site

目的是要把你拉回線上購物網站，

with its gamifications and its gimmick,

他們用遊戲和花招，

when you'd otherwise not be thinking about them.

不然你根本不會想到要造訪那些網站。

A second tactic online retailers use is scarcity.

第二種線上零售商用的策略是稀少性。

Many sites now tell you

許多網站現在會跟你說，

how many other customers are also viewing the same item,

這個商品同時被多少顧客瀏覽，

making it seem like that item is very popular,

讓商品看起來很搶手，

and it's likely to go quickly.

且很快就會賣掉。

Similarly, websites will use a timer for your basket,

相同地，網站會在你的購物車中 放一個計時器，

pushing and pushing the message

不斷提醒你

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

這些商品很快就買不到了。

Research shows that the perceptions of a product's scarcity

研究顯示，產品的稀有性

can increase its value in the eye of the shopper

可以增加它在消費者眼中的價值，

and increase a shopper's willingness to buy.

並增加購買的意願。

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

稀有性也可能讓人更好勝和自私。

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

我對抗稀少性的秘訣如下：

when scarcity is tempting you,

當你感覺被吸引的時候，

back away from the website, back away from the car

先關掉網站和購物車，

and sleep on it.

睡一覺之後再決定。

That can help you decide whether or not you really need

這樣可以讓你了解是否真的需要

whatever it is that you were planning on buying.

自己本來想要買的商品。

Leave the site for at least an entire day

離開網站至少一天後，

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

再看自己是否還很想要這個產品。

This approach works best if you use an incognito browser

搭配瀏覽器的無痕模式效果會更好，

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

這樣你之後上網就不會

一直看到這個產品陰魂不散的廣告。

everywhere you go.

The third tactic that companies use

第三個公司常用的手法是

is to allow you to pay in installments.

讓你能夠分期付款。

A number of e-commerce sites have adopted payment schemes

不少電商網站都導入了這種 讓你先下訂產品，

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

之後再慢慢分期付款的方式。

Now, installment plans are useful

分期付款有時候蠻有用，

if you're replacing a large, expensive item,

像是你要換掉大型又高價的東西，

like a broken refrigerator.

例如壞掉的冰箱。

But I think these installment plans veer towards predatory

但當你在買不是那麼 急需且重要的商品時，

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

我認為這些分期方案 已經變成以掠奪為目的。

Looking at small monthly payments

看到數字較小的月付金額時，

psychologically decreases the cost of those new sneakers

心理上就會覺得全新的球鞋，

或是牛仔褲的價格降低了。

or new pair of jeans.

And that mental trickery

這種心理的騙術，

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

會讓你更可能多買額外的產品。

雖然跟信用卡感覺可能不一樣，

And while it may feel different from a credit card,

you still owe these companies money.

但你依然欠這些公司錢。

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

所以不管怎樣， 你還是在累積債務。

and potentially adding late fees and interest,

加上潛在的滯納金和利息，

and you may find yourself owing a lot more

你可能會發現最後欠的錢，

than the original sticker value for those jeans.

反而比那條牛仔褲的原價高出許多。

So here's my third and final tip:

這是我第三個也是最後的建議：

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

最重要的是， 不要使用分期付款方案。

If you want an actual discount,

如果想要實際的折扣，

there are browser plug-ins you can use

可以使用瀏覽器的外掛

that will help you find the best deals.

幫助你找到最划算的價格。

Online retail has made shopping incredibly convenient,

網路零售讓購物變得非常方便，

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

但不是每天都該跟 黑色星期五一樣瘋狂。

By putting these tips into practice,

如果實際執行我所提到的秘訣，

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

你就能無視一部分的把戲跟行銷手法

and once again, regain control of your shopping environment.

重新拿回在購物環境中的主導權。