It’s pretty easy to spot dark patterns when you look out for them, but I found a pretty obvious example of this.
Stoofie is a brand that sells water fountains for your pet (I don’t know what the problem with a water bowl is, but I digress). WayBack Machine
Plastered at the top of their website is “33% OFF Ends Today- Free Shipping” with no way to dismiss it. There is a scrolling text under the main image “FAST AND FREE SHIPPING 60-DAY FREE RETURNS”
If you scroll down, you’re immediately introduced with a product with the option to buy two preselected. The rest of this section explains itself:
Other things are sprinkled in the main page, but it really is the prime example of dark patterns. I am personally sick of finding them, but would love to see more examples of what others have found. Please, share your favorite examples of dark patterns. Don’t forget to archive them first so they can never be lived down.
For a lot of the cheap stuff on Amazon, the price is literally double at a local brick and mortar retailer. Phone chargers, kitchen utensils, towels, cleaning products are high-margin examples that come to mind. Plus, of course, your time and gas money to grab it. Some people also struggle with impulse purchases they may grab while shopping in store. Its easy to see why people continue to throw money at creepy Bezos and just wait for shit to appear on their porch.