Worldwide, online retail has been on the rise.

在全球範圍內，網絡零售業一直在崛起。

In 2019 alone,

僅在2019年。

shoppers spent nearly 3.8 trillion dollars online.

購物者在網上花費了近3.8萬億美元。

And to keep those figures climbing,

並使這些數字不斷攀升。

some companies are pulling out all of the stops

一些公司正全力以赴地開展工作。

to hold your attention and to keep you spending.

來吸引你的注意力，讓你繼續消費。

To help you regain control of your shopping environment,

幫助您重新掌控購物環境。

I'll identify three of their tactics

我將指出他們的三個策略

and share three tips to counteract them.

並分享三個應對技巧。

[Your Money and Your Mind with Wendy De La Rosa]

[《你的金錢和你的思想與溫迪-德拉羅莎》]

One online gimmick that sites use is gamification,

網站使用的一個在線噱頭是遊戲化。

and this is where websites use game design elements

這也是網站運用遊戲設計元素的地方

to get you to spend more time and more money on their sites.

來讓你在他們的網站上花更多的時間和更多的錢。

Now, some sites have a virtual wheel for you to spin

現在，一些網站有一個虛擬的輪子，讓你去旋轉

to get a chance at that day's discounts.

以獲得當天的折扣機會。

Others, they let you accrue loyalty points

其他的，他們讓你積累忠誠度積分

based on how you interact with the site.

基於您與網站的互動方式。

And that kind of gamification, in my mind, is really dangerous.

而這種遊戲化，在我看來，真的很危險。

In one classic experiment,

在一個經典的實驗中。

lab rats were more captivated by the random chance of pushing a lever

實驗室的大鼠更被隨機的推杆機會所吸引。

and receiving a food pellet

並收到食物顆粒

than by the certainty of a fixed food schedule.

比由固定的食物時間表的確定性。

And we as humans are just the same.

而我們人類也一樣。

We're enticed by the chance to win.

我們是被獲獎的機會所吸引。

Just like at a slot machine in Vegas,

就像在拉斯維加斯的老虎機上一樣。

you increase your dopamine levels every time you try your luck.

你會增加你的多巴胺水準 每次你嘗試你的運氣。

So my tip here is to avoid temptation altogether

所以我在這裡的建議是要完全避免誘惑

by unsubscribing from online shopping emails.

通過取消訂閱網上購物郵件。

You can't buy what you can't see,

你不能買你看不到的東西。

and these emails are constant reminders

而這些郵件不斷提醒

that are intended to lure us back to the site

目的是為了吸引我們回到該網站

with its gamifications and its gimmick,

以其遊戲化和噱頭。

when you'd otherwise not be thinking about them.

否則你就不會去想他們了。

A second tactic online retailers use is scarcity.

網上零售商使用的第二種策略是稀缺性。

Many sites now tell you

現在很多網站告訴你

how many other customers are also viewing the same item,

有多少其他客戶也在查看同一項目。

making it seem like that item is very popular,

讓人覺得該項目很受歡迎。

and it's likely to go quickly.

而且很可能很快就會走。

Similarly, websites will use a timer for your basket,

同樣，網站也會對你的籃子使用定時器。

pushing and pushing the message

推波助瀾

that these potential items won't be available for long.

這些潛在的項目不會持續很長時間。

Research shows that the perceptions of a product's scarcity

研究表明，對產品的稀缺性的認知度

can increase its value in the eye of the shopper

可以提高其在顧客眼中的價值。

and increase a shopper's willingness to buy.

並增加購物者的購買意願。

Scarcity can also make people feel more competitive and selfish as well.

稀缺性也會讓人覺得自己也更有競爭力和自私。

So here's my tip to help you combat scarcity:

所以我的建議是幫助你對抗匱乏。

when scarcity is tempting you,

當稀缺的東西在誘惑你的時候。

back away from the website, back away from the car

退網、退車

and sleep on it.

並在上面睡覺。

That can help you decide whether or not you really need

這可以幫助你決定你是否真的需要。

whatever it is that you were planning on buying.

不管是什麼，你打算買。

Leave the site for at least an entire day

離開現場至少一整天

and see if you're still itching for the item.

並看你是否還對這個項目心癢難耐。

This approach works best if you use an incognito browser

如果你使用隱身瀏覽器，這種方法的效果最好。

so you won't be haunted by the ads for the product

這樣你就不會被產品的廣告所困擾了。

everywhere you go.

你所到之處。

The third tactic that companies use

公司使用的第三種策略是

is to allow you to pay in installments.

是讓你分期付款。

A number of e-commerce sites have adopted payment schemes

不少電商網站都採用了支付方案

that will let you order an item and pay for it later.

可以讓你訂購商品並在以後付款。

Now, installment plans are useful

現在，分期付款計劃很有用

if you're replacing a large, expensive item,

如果你要更換一個大的、昂貴的物品。

like a broken refrigerator.

像一臺破冰箱。

But I think these installment plans veer towards predatory

但我覺得這些分期付款計劃偏向於掠奪性。

when you're purchasing less urgent, less important items.

當你在購買不那麼緊急、不那麼重要的物品時。

Looking at small monthly payments

看待小額月供

psychologically decreases the cost of those new sneakers

從心理上降低了這些新運動鞋的成本。

or new pair of jeans.

或新的牛仔褲。

And that mental trickery

而這種精神上的欺騙

means that you're more likely to buy additional items.

意味著你更有可能購買更多的商品。

And while it may feel different from a credit card,

雖然它的感覺可能與信用卡不同。

you still owe these companies money.

你還欠這些公司的錢。

So at the end of the day, you're still taking on debt

所以到了最後，你還是要揹債的

and potentially adding late fees and interest,

並有可能加收滯納金和利息。

and you may find yourself owing a lot more

你可能會發現自己欠了很多

than the original sticker value for those jeans.

比那些牛仔褲的原始貼紙價值。

So here's my third and final tip:

所以這是我的第三個也是最後一個建議。

above all else, do not use these payment installment plans.

最重要的是，不要使用這些付款分期計劃。

If you want an actual discount,

如果你想要一個實際的折扣。

there are browser plug-ins you can use

有瀏覽器插件，你可以使用

that will help you find the best deals.

這將幫助您找到最好的交易。

Online retail has made shopping incredibly convenient,

網上零售讓購物變得無比便利。

but not every day needs to feel as overwhelming as Black Friday.

但並不是每一天都需要像黑色星期五那樣讓人感到壓抑。

By putting these tips into practice,

通過將這些技巧付諸實踐。

you can tune out some of the tricks and the gimmicks,

你可以調出一些技巧和噱頭。

and once again, regain control of your shopping environment.

並再次重獲對購物環境的控制。