Anchoring Tricks
Placing a cheap item next to an expensive item to make it look more affordable.
Anchoring is a very common tactic that retailers use to sway people towards making more expensive purchases.
1) Anchoring - By placing a cheap item next to an expensive item, the cheap items looks more affordable. For example, if you can get a bronze item for $1 and a silver item for $5, many people may purchase the cheapest item. However, if you add a gold item for $50, the middle option (silver) now looks like a good deal and more people may purchase it.
2) False Hierarchy - A game may use layout, size or color to give a more expensive item preference over a cheaper item when in fact the items should be compared side by side.
3) Decoy Effect - Using a decoy item, that is usually more expensive or inferior, to push people towards a specific option. For example, items A and B are available for $1 and $2, but a decoy item C is $3. Item C is inferior to B. This makes B look like a really good deal since you are getting something worth $3 for only $2. Item A becomes less desirable.
4) Discounts for buying bundles or bigger packages of items incentivize people to spend more to get a better deal.
5) Social Proof is when a store promotes an item in way to suggest that more people favor it. This could be as simple as having a "Most Popular" badge on top of the item, or it could say something to the effect of "15 people have purchased this in the last hour". If the game integrates with social media, it could also use your friends to push you towards a more expensive purchase. For example, "John purchased a Gold upgrade today". This normalize spending on the game and makes it feel more acceptable.
1) Anchoring - By placing a cheap item next to an expensive item, the cheap items looks more affordable. For example, if you can get a bronze item for $1 and a silver item for $5, many people may purchase the cheapest item. However, if you add a gold item for $50, the middle option (silver) now looks like a good deal and more people may purchase it.
2) False Hierarchy - A game may use layout, size or color to give a more expensive item preference over a cheaper item when in fact the items should be compared side by side.
3) Decoy Effect - Using a decoy item, that is usually more expensive or inferior, to push people towards a specific option. For example, items A and B are available for $1 and $2, but a decoy item C is $3. Item C is inferior to B. This makes B look like a really good deal since you are getting something worth $3 for only $2. Item A becomes less desirable.
4) Discounts for buying bundles or bigger packages of items incentivize people to spend more to get a better deal.
5) Social Proof is when a store promotes an item in way to suggest that more people favor it. This could be as simple as having a "Most Popular" badge on top of the item, or it could say something to the effect of "15 people have purchased this in the last hour". If the game integrates with social media, it could also use your friends to push you towards a more expensive purchase. For example, "John purchased a Gold upgrade today". This normalize spending on the game and makes it feel more acceptable.
Citations and Sources • UXP2 Dark Patterns
• Wikipedia :: Anchoring
• Wikipedia :: Decoy Effect
• Wikipedia :: Social Proof
• Wikipedia :: Anchoring
• Wikipedia :: Decoy Effect
• Wikipedia :: Social Proof
Examples
Township"often shown in weekly deals or something similar"
Assoluto Racing"Yes."
Dead by Daylight Mobile"Strictly paid for cosmetics are usually displayed on the first page when customising the character, usually beside a cosmetic which can be unlocked through gameplay alone. Bundles are regularly displayed in banners and pop up boxes, allowing the player to buy groups of cosmetics for a slightly altered price."
WWE Champions 2019"Yes. Even the 300% valve on overinflated bundles"
War Robots Multiplayer Battles"limited offers are packs like that"
The Walking Dead: Survivors"Constant bundles with fake exaggerated discount % beside it, at least 100 "discount" at any given time"
Life Makeover"The shop places multiple versions of the same product together to present a better deal for big purchases."
Last Fortress"Yes and then immediately shows a more expensive one after with more items. 19.99, 49.99, 99.99"
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery"Often the game will try to make something look like a good deal when it's really the same as another thing or even worse."
PAC-MAN"you can buy things like bundles for exclusive cosmetics and currency for ongoing events"