29 Psychological Tricks To

Make You Buy More

September 21, 2020

Published

1 year ago

on
Ever suffered from buyer’s remorse? You’re not alone.

According to a recent survey, only 5% of people have

never felt guilty about buying something. That means the
majority of us, at some point in our lives, have regretted a
purchase.

But consumers aren’t necessarily only to blame for

impulse buys. After all, we’re constantly bombarded with
advertisements and marketing tactics specifically tailored
to try and get us to spend more money.

Today’s graphic by TitleMax explains 29 different

psychological tactics that marketers try to get consumers
to buy more.

Tricks are for Marketers

While this list isn’t exhaustive, it provides some key
examples of the ways that marketers are attempting to
influence your subconscious mind.

We noticed some high-level trends among the 29 tactics,

which we compiled into four overarching sections:

Visual Pricing Tricks

These tricks aim to intentionally minimize the
appearance of the price, so it’s more palatable to
consumers. For instance, a store will price something
at $9.99 instead of $10.00, or label a product as
“buy-one-get-one” rather than 50% off.
Intentional Language Tricks
It’s not what you say, but how you say it. Making
products seem costly to manufacture, offering
exclusivity, and using words associated with small
amounts fall under this category. These tricks use
semantics to position a product in an appealing way.
Brick-and-Mortar Tricks
A store’s layout is less arbitrary than you may realize.
Having a bright and colorful entrance, playing calm
and slow music, and putting the essential items at the
back of the store are a few tactics that fall into this
section. These tricks use displays and product
placement to influence consumer behavior.
Urgency Tricks
A false sense of urgency and phase-out discounts
are included in this category. If a consumer believes
they might miss out on a deal, they’re more likely to
buy.
The Theories in Practice
While most retailers are guilty of using at least a few of
these tactics, several big companies are notorious for
their use of psychological tricks to boost sales.

For instance, Ikea is well known for its confusing, maze-

like layout. This is no accident, as an Ikea store’s
architecture is designed specifically to maximize product
exposure—it’s mastered what’s called the Gruen effect, a
term named after architect Victor Gruen, whose elaborate
displays were proven to convert browsers into buyers.

Another example is Walmart’s rollback pricing, which uses

visual contrast to make the sale price more appealing. It’s
clearly served the company well—in 2019, Walmart made
$524 billion in revenue, making it the world’s largest
retailer.

Costco uses a few tactics on the list, but one it’s notorious
for is putting fresh produce in the back of the store. That
means customers need to pass through the electronics,
clothing, and household goods sections before they can
get to the necessities.

While the above tactics are in a gray area, other tricks are
flat out dishonest. Makeup brand Sunday Riley was
caught writing fake Sephora reviews to boost sales.
Employees were encouraged to write outstanding reviews
for the company, and the CEO even provided instructions
on how to avoid getting caught.

The Influencer Era

As consumers become aware of certain marketing tactics,
retailers are forced to switch up their game in order to
remain effective.

A relatively recent phenomenon is influencer marketing,

which is when brands partner with vloggers or influencers
to endorse a product. And these partnerships tend to
work—a recent survey revealed that 40% of people have
purchased something based on an influencer’s
recommendation.

But how long will influencer marketing—or any of these

tactics—stay effective? Some of the more subtle pricing
tactics might stay relevant for longer, but it’s unlikely that
all of these tricks will stand the test of time.

Misc

Visualizing Women’s Economic

Rights Around the World
In recent years, many economies have made women’s
rights a priority, yet only 10 countries in the world offer full
legal protections to women.

Published

22 hours ago

on

November 8, 2021

Visualizing Women’s Economic Rights

in Each Country
In recent years, many economies have made women’s
rights a priority by eliminating job restrictions, working to
reduce the gender wage gap, or changing legislation
related to marriage and parenthood.

Still, many laws continue to inhibit women’s ability to enter

the workforce or start a business—and even to travel
outside their homes in the same way as men. In fact, on
average globally, women have just three-quarters of the
economic rights of men.

This map uses data from the Women, Business and Law
2021 report by the World Bank, to visualize women’s
economic rights around the world.

Legal Protections

According to the World Bank, only 10 countries offer full

legal protections to women, and all of them are in the
Northern Hemisphere.

In ranking countries, the institution considers indicators

like equal remuneration, legal rights, and mobility. A score
of 100 means that women are on equal legal standing with
men across all areas measured.

According to the report, there are 20 economies in the

world where women still have half or fewer of the legal
economic rights of men.

Under Taliban rule, for example, women in Afghanistan

have limited access to education and work. In the Gaza
Strip, women must have the permission of a male
guardian to travel.

Yet, some differences are also seen in developed

countries.
In the U.S, women still earn an average of about 82 cents
for each dollar earned by men, and the gap across many
countries in Europe is similar. Meanwhile, women are
represented in just 23% of seats in national parliaments
globally, and make up just 13% of agricultural
landholders.

The Shadow Pandemic

COVID-19 has exacerbated existing inequalities that

disadvantage girls and women, including barriers to
attend school and maintain jobs, according to the United
Nations.

In fact, new research shows that the sectors that have

been most affected by the pandemic so far are those with
high levels of women workers, including the restaurant
and hospitality business, as well as the travel sector.

While leaders debate recovery in a post-pandemic world,

rights equality remains a central topic for social and
economic development.

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Misc

Mapped: Countries by Alcohol

Consumption Per Capita
Which countries are the world’s biggest alcohol drinkers?
This interactive map explores global alcohol consumption
per capita.

Published

3 days ago

on

November 5, 2021

Mapped: Countries by Alcohol

Consumption Per Capita
Alcohol might be one of the oldest and most frequently
used recreational substances in the world, but examining
countries by alcohol consumption shows that usage is not
equal.

Consumption levels, and types of alcohol consumed, vary

widely based on location. Furthermore, the availability of
fruits and grains used in alcohol production impacts which
drinks are more commonly consumed, as does the
predominant culture. Some cultures see alcohol
consumption as a pleasurable experience, while others
see intoxication as a sin.

There’s also the question of economics and availability. It’s

strange, but in some regions of the world, industrially
mass-produced alcohol can flood markets and become
cheaper than other beverages, including water.

When we map alcohol consumption by capita, and by

different types of alcohol, these local and cultural stories
come to light. The above maps use recorded consumption
data from WHO for 2019, in liters of pure alcohol.

Europe Leads in Per Capita Alcohol

Consumption
The top 10 countries by alcohol consumption highlight the
prominence of alcoholic beverages in European culture.

Eight of the 10 countries with the top alcohol

consumption per capita were in Europe. Primarily, they
were Eastern and Central European countries, including
#2 Latvia, #3 Czech Republic, #4 Lithuania, and #5
Austria.

But the crown of alcohol consumption per capita goes to

the Cook Islands, which leads the world with an annual
per capita consumption of 13L (3.4 gallons) of alcohol.

At the bottom of the consumption charts? Not

surprisingly, it’s Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and
other Muslim countries where intoxication is religiously
prohibited.

Regional Disparities in Alcohol

Consumption
Per capita consumption of alcohol also highlights clear
regional preferences in amount and type, or a lack of
interest.

The biggest consumers of alcohol are countries in Central

Europe, the South Pacific, and parts of the Caribbean. In
Europe, beer and wine are kings, with most of the top
consumers also being top producers such as France and
Germany.

Spirits like rum, meanwhile, are dominant in the Cook

Islands and much of the Caribbean, which has four of the
12 top spirit consumers. The others are mainly in Eastern
Europe and Russia, which get most of their alcohol
consumption from vodka.

Top Consuming Country

Type Consumption/Capita
by Alcohol
Czech Republic Beer 6.77L
France Wine 6.44L
Cook Islands Spirits 7.07L
 Tanzania Others 6.60L

The importance of local crops couldn’t be overstated.

Regions like Africa and Asia that struggle with the right
conditions for grapes or hops saw higher consumption of
“other” distilled drinks.

These include rice alcohol in South Korea and Japan,

and drinks made from sugarcane, molasses, and even
bananas in African countries like Tanzania.

Unlike goods like coffee or tea, alcohol can be produced

from many different grains, fruits, or sources of sugar that
can be fermented—so it’s natural that regional differences
in types, amounts, and even cultural importance would
arise.

But as one of the world’s most widely used recreational

drugs, it’s played a storied role throughout history that is
certain to continue evolving.

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