Worldwide, online retail has been on the rise. In 2019 alone, shoppers spent nearly 3.8 trillion dollars online. And to keep those figures climbing, some companies are pulling out all of the stops to hold your attention and to keep you spending. To help you regain control of your shopping environment, I'll identify three of their tactics and share three tips to counteract them.
世界范围内, 零售业正在蓬勃发展。 仅仅 2019 年一年, 网购交易额已达 3.8 万亿美元。 为了保持这些数字的增长, 有些商家想尽一切办法 吸引你的注意力 让你花更多钱。 为了帮你重获对购物环境的掌控, 我会指出商家常用的三个把戏, 然后给你三个 能够对抗这些把戏的建议。
[Your Money and Your Mind with Wendy De La Rosa]
(音乐)
One online gimmick that sites use is gamification, and this is where websites use game design elements to get you to spend more time and more money on their sites. Now, some sites have a virtual wheel for you to spin to get a chance at that day's discounts. Others, they let you accrue loyalty points based on how you interact with the site. And that kind of gamification, in my mind, is really dangerous.
游戏化 是线上把戏之一, 指网站使用游戏设计元素 吸引你在他们的网站上 花更多的时间和金钱。 有些网站会提供摇奖大转盘, 你或许有机会享受当日折扣。 还有些网站, 基于你与网站的互动方式, 你可以积累 “忠诚度积分”。 我认为 这种游戏化方式是很危险的。
In one classic experiment, lab rats were more captivated by the random chance of pushing a lever and receiving a food pellet than by the certainty of a fixed food schedule. And we as humans are just the same.
在一个经典实验中, 相比于固定进食时间的确定性, 实验室的老鼠更容易被 推动杠杆随机性获得食物所吸引。 我们人类也是如此。
We're enticed by the chance to win. Just like at a slot machine in Vegas, you increase your dopamine levels every time you try your luck. So my tip here is to avoid temptation altogether by unsubscribing from online shopping emails. You can't buy what you can't see, and these emails are constant reminders that are intended to lure us back to the site with its gamifications and its gimmick, when you'd otherwise not be thinking about them.
我们会被胜利的机会所吸引。 就像拉斯维加斯的老虎机, 每次你尝试碰运气的时候, 多巴胺水平就会上升。 所以我的建议就是 通过退订网购的电子邮件, 避开所有的诱惑你的东西。 你不能买看不见的东西, 而在你快要忘记这些东西的时候, 电子邮件利用游戏化的方式 不断提醒我们、诱惑我们 再次回到网站上。
A second tactic online retailers use is scarcity. Many sites now tell you how many other customers are also viewing the same item, making it seem like that item is very popular, and it's likely to go quickly. Similarly, websites will use a timer for your basket, pushing and pushing the message that these potential items won't be available for long. Research shows that the perceptions of a product's scarcity can increase its value in the eye of the shopper and increase a shopper's willingness to buy. Scarcity can also make people feel more competitive and selfish as well.
在线零售商用的第二个把戏 是产品缺乏性。 许多网站会告诉你 有多少客户正在浏览同一件产品 以此显得该产品很受欢迎, 于是就能卖得很快。 类似的做法就是 网页会设置一个计时器, 反复推送消息,提醒你说: 购物车里的产品很快就要断货了。 研究证明,顾客对产品稀缺性的感知 可以增加产品对该顾客的价值, 以及增加其购买意愿。 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: when scarcity is tempting you, back away from the website, back away from the car and sleep on it. That can help you decide whether or not you really need whatever it is that you were planning on buying. Leave the site for at least an entire day and see if you're still itching for the item. This approach works best if you use an incognito browser so you won't be haunted by the ads for the product everywhere you go.
针对这一点,我建议: 如果产品稀缺性正在 诱惑你的时候, 离开网站和你的购物车, 睡上一觉。 这会帮助你决定 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, 然后再看你是否还想购入那个产品。 如果使用浏览器的隐身模式, 效果会最好, 因为这样你不会在浏览网页时 被此产品的广告缠身。
The third tactic that companies use is to allow you to pay in installments. A number of e-commerce sites have adopted payment schemes that will let you order an item and pay for it later. Now, installment plans are useful if you're replacing a large, expensive item, like a broken refrigerator. But I think these installment plans veer towards predatory when you're purchasing less urgent, less important items. Looking at small monthly payments psychologically decreases the cost of those new sneakers or new pair of jeans. And that mental trickery means that you're more likely to buy additional items. And while it may feel different from a credit card, you still owe these companies money. So at the end of the day, you're still taking on debt and potentially adding late fees and interest, and you may find yourself owing a lot more than the original sticker value for those jeans.
公司用的第三个把戏 就是允许分期付款。 一些在线购物网站 采用一种支付方式—— 让你下单一件产品, 以后再付钱。 如果你想要更换 一件大而昂贵的物品, 比如一个坏冰箱, 分期付款计划会很有用。 但我觉得当你购买非急需、 不那么重要的商品时, 这些分期付款计划就会 具有掠夺性。 看着每月的小额付款 新鞋和新牛仔裤的价格 会在心理上降低。 而这个心理作用 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, 但你仍旧欠这些公司钱。 所以到头来, 你依然在承担负债, 并可能还会增加滞纳金和利息, 最后你可能发现自己欠的钱 远多于那些裤子的标签原价。 所以我的第三个并且是 最后一个建议:
So here's my third and final tip: above all else, do not use these payment installment plans. If you want an actual discount, there are browser plug-ins you can use that will help you find the best deals.
无论什么时候 都不要使用这些分期付款计划。 如果你想要真正的折扣, 你可以使用浏览器插件 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. By putting these tips into practice, you can tune out some of the tricks and the gimmicks, and once again, regain control of your shopping environment.
但不是每天都需要经历 黑色星期五的压力。 通过应用以上三条建议, 你可以躲避一些网站上的噱头, 于是再一次, 重获对购物环境的掌控。