These websites where we shop use an infallible trick to push us to buy. Explanations.
Amazon, Temu, AliExpress, Shein, Leboncoin, Veepee, Vinted… All these well-known brands have one thing in common: they are among the 20 most visited marketplaces by the French according to the Professional Federation of E-commerce (Fevad) and use “dark patterns” or “manipulative interfaces” in French. In concrete terms, these are techniques to deceive, influence and manipulate customers. As soon as we click on an item that we like when shopping online, immediately, messages like “Soon to be sold out”, Already 1000 copies sold” or “Only 10 copies left” appear on the screen. Sometimes, a countdown is even launched to signify the end of a promotional offer. Illegal in Europe, this practice, denounced by theUFC What to Choose in a survey published on June 20, installs a sense of urgency and scarcity which gives more value to the item. Result? Consumers are much more tempted to move quickly to the payment stage.
Among the e-commerce companies using these “dark patterns”, the Chinese giant Temu comes first. It is followed in the Consumer Defense Association ranking by another Chinese platform, AliExpressthen by Amazon and by Veepee. The leader in the second-hand sales market, Vintedis also cited.
Faced with these deceptive techniques that are multiplying, it is important to be extra vigilant. The best thing is therefore to take your time before buying, to think and compare offers because there are probably other sites that offer the same item at a similar price. In general, you should avoid rushing into tempting offers, even if the website mentions an almost empty stock or a temporary promotion.