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.
全球網路零售持續在增加。 單單在 2019 年, 消費者就花了 將近 3.8 兆美元在網購上。 為了持續提高銷售量, 有些公司用盡手段, 抓住你的注意力並讓你持續消費。 為了讓你能掌控自己的消費環境, 我會告訴你這些公司使用的三種策略, 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, 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.
網站使用的其中一種手法 是將東西遊戲化。 網站會使用遊戲的元素 讓你花更多時間和金錢 在他們的網站上。 現在,有些網站上有虛擬轉盤 讓你有機會得到每日折扣。 還有些則會依照你和網站的互動, 累積你的紅利點數。 在我眼中這些遊戲化的行銷 非常危險。
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.
在一項經典的實驗中, 小白鼠著迷於 透過拉桿隨機取得飼料的程度 遠高於固定時間的餵食。 我們人類也是如此。
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.
我們被贏的機會所吸引。 就像拉斯維加斯裡的角子機, 你的多巴胺激素會隨著 每次試手氣時上升。 而我抵擋這些誘惑的秘訣, 就是取消訂閱線上購物的電子郵件。 看不到的東西你就買不到, 那些郵件都是固定的提醒, 目的是要把你拉回線上購物網站, 他們用遊戲和花招, 不然你根本不會想到要造訪那些網站。
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.
第二種線上零售商用的策略是稀少性。 許多網站現在會跟你說, 這個商品同時被多少顧客瀏覽, 讓商品看起來很搶手, 且很快就會賣掉。 相同地,網站會在你的購物車中 放一個計時器, 不斷提醒你 這些商品很快就買不到了。 研究顯示,產品的稀有性 可以增加它在消費者眼中的價值, 並增加購買的意願。 稀有性也可能讓人更好勝和自私。
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.
我對抗稀少性的秘訣如下: 當你感覺被吸引的時候, 先關掉網站和購物車, 睡一覺之後再決定。 這樣可以讓你了解是否真的需要 自己本來想要買的商品。 離開網站至少一天後, 再看自己是否還很想要這個產品。 搭配瀏覽器的無痕模式效果會更好, 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。
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.
第三個公司常用的手法是 讓你能夠分期付款。 不少電商網站都導入了這種 讓你先下訂產品, 之後再慢慢分期付款的方式。 分期付款有時候蠻有用, 像是你要換掉大型又高價的東西, 例如壞掉的冰箱。 但當你在買不是那麼 急需且重要的商品時, 我認為這些分期方案 已經變成以掠奪為目的。 看到數字較小的月付金額時, 心理上就會覺得全新的球鞋, 或是牛仔褲的價格降低了。 這種心理的騙術, 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, 但你依然欠這些公司錢。 所以不管怎樣, 你還是在累積債務。 加上潛在的滯納金和利息, 你可能會發現最後欠的錢, 反而比那條牛仔褲的原價高出許多。
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.
這是我第三個也是最後的建議: 最重要的是, 不要使用分期付款方案。 如果想要實際的折扣, 可以使用瀏覽器的外掛 幫助你找到最划算的價格。
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.
網路零售讓購物變得非常方便, 但不是每天都該跟 黑色星期五一樣瘋狂。 如果實際執行我所提到的秘訣, 你就能無視一部分的把戲跟行銷手法 重新拿回在購物環境中的主導權。