Yes, But Not Really
The twisted psychology behind modern CX—and how to fight back
Date: 28-05-2025
Reading time: 2 minutes
SHIFT #23
52 out of 53 top Indian apps employ “dark patterns,”
– Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), 2024
In the Age of Conscious Consumerism, whether you’re a brand that builds journeys, or a consumer who walks them – this moment matters.
You can be:
🔍 A Dark Pattern Buster – the one who spots and calls it out.
🎯 An Ethical Designer – the one who builds trust-led journeys.
Or both.
This one’s for you.
Happened to me last week. A simple e-commerce order I didn’t want. No return button. Just “Replace.”
No helpline. Just loops. Click. Back. Refresh. Quit.
That’s when it hit me: That’s not clumsy design. That’s strategy.
It’s called a Dark nudge—a psychological shove disguised as user experience.
You’ve seen them. You’ve probably fallen for them.
And this month on SHIFT, we’re pulling back the curtain:
- 5 Dark nudges you’ve definitely been caught in
- How to build better (with ethical nudges instead)
1. Roach Motel Pattern: “Easy to enter. Hell to leave.”
You sign up in 10 seconds. Cancelling? Takes 3 clicks, a captcha, and a prayer.
☠️ Exploits decision fatigue + status quo bias.
→ Fix: One-click cancel. Clear exit. No games.
2. Misdirection Loops: “Click ‘Contact Us’. Land on FAQ. Repeat.”
You try to get help. They send you in circles until you give up.
☠️ Creates helplessness. Breaks trust.
→ Fix: Straight paths. Real humans. No gaslighting.
3. Fake Scarcity: “Only 1 left!” (for 6 hours straight)
Countdowns that never end. “Low stock” lies.
☠️ FOMO + Loss Aversion = Easy revenue. Zero ethics.
→ Fix: Real urgency. Honest stock. No crying wolf.
4. Sneak into Basket: “Wait, I didn’t ask for this warranty.”
Auto-added extras. Pre-checked boxes. Surprise charges.
☠️ Hijacks default bias.
→ Fix: Opt-in, not opt-out. Show cost. Ask permission.
5. Confirm Shaming: “No thanks, I hate saving money.” Oh please.
Guilt-trip copy that pressurizes you into saying “yes.”
☠️ Weaponizes shame.
→ Fix: Respect choice. No guilt. Let people walk.
Bottom Line:
Dark nudges work – until they don’t.
They burn trust. And trust, once lost, doesn’t come back cheap.
Be better. Design clean.
Build for respect, not trickery.
Over to you:
Seen any shady UX lately?
Reply to this mail. Send us your worst.
We’ll unpack the best (read: worst) one next month (anonymously, of course).
Play fair. Win big. Repeat.
