Flash sales and countdown timers keep you buying - can we outsmart these tactics?

About this episode

The episode discusses the use of misleading marketing tactics in online retail and the psychology behind shopping habits.

Three online retailers were recently flagged for using misleading marketing tactics known as “dark patterns” such as fake countdown timers or low-stock alerts designed to create a sense of urgency among shoppers. But when these nudges cross the line to become unethical or even fraudulent, how do we maintain a safe shopping environment? Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang sit down with Professor Sharon Ng from the Nanyang Business School and Liew Sai Ming from Behavioural Insights Team to discuss the psychology behind shopping habits and the challenges in outmaneuvering these rapidly evolving marketing tactics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Hosts: Steven Chia, Tiffany Ang

Guests: Professor Sharon Ng, Liew Sai Ming

Topics covered

• dark patterns
• online shopping
• marketing tactics
• consumer psychology
• ethical marketing

Keywords

• flash sales
• countdown timers
• dark patterns
• consumer behavior
• shopping urgency

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Nanyang Business School, Behavioural Insights Team

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