Manipulation in online shops: An EU-wide study uncovers tricks used by online retailers.
False countdown counters and visual design are among them.
Brussels - Have you ever left more money shopping online than originally planned?
Or annoyed about hidden fees?
Consumer advocates have been warning for years: Many online retailers play with legal limits and psychological tricks when it comes to doing business - and consumers are happy to fall for it.
“By skillfully influencing consumers are tempted to buy more, to disclose data about themselves or to use services that they actually don’t want,” says Annabel Oelmann from the Bremen consumer center.
The VZ Bremen cites as examples: automatically ticked subscription services, automatically filled shopping baskets and barely legible fonts.
A check by the EU Commission in cooperation with the responsible authorities of 25 European countries has now revealed that many online shops are trying to manipulate consumers with prohibited means and, for example, to urge them to make purchasing decisions.
According to this, 148 of 399 websites examined use at least one manipulative tactic.
Retailers in the textile and electronics sectors, for example, were inspected last year.
The EU Commission has online shops checked for these manipulative methods
The online shops were primarily examined for three manipulative methods:
hidden information
urging purchases or subscriptions
Countdown timers showing incorrect deadlines for purchasing certain products.
Not only manipulation, but fraud lurks when goods are offered online that are not delivered at all: This is how you can recognize fake shops when shopping online.
Manipulation in online shops: are consumer protection regulations still up to date?
According to the research, 42 websites used fake countdown timers, 54 used visual design or language to urge consumers to make certain choices - from subscriptions to more expensive products or delivery options.
In addition, 70 online shops have hidden important information or made it difficult to see.
This included information on delivery costs, product composition or a cheaper alternative.
Here are more tricks from online retailers.
All of this violates consumer protection rules, said EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders and called on national authorities to take action against the practices.
In parallel, the Commission is reviewing all consumer protection rules to ensure they are adapted to the digital age.
(dpa/kat)
