Spotting Fake Discounts & Dark Patterns
A lot of "savings" are manufactured to make you stop comparing. Learn the common tricks — inflated reference prices, fake urgency, drip pricing — and they lose all their power over you.
The inflated "original" price
The most common trick is a high crossed-out price that the item was never actually sold at, making the "sale" price look like a steal. The defence is price history: if the strike-through "original" never held in real life, ignore it and judge the live price against other sellers.
Fake urgency and scarcity
Countdown timers that reset, "only 2 left!" that's been true for weeks, and "17 people are viewing this" are pressure tactics, not facts. Real scarcity exists, but manufactured urgency exists to stop you from opening another tab. Slow down — if the deal is real, a five-minute comparison won't lose it.
Drip pricing and forced extras
Drip pricing reveals fees late — a low headline that grows with shipping, "service" charges, or pre-ticked add-ons at checkout. Always compare the final checkout total, and uncheck the warranty/insurance/donation boxes you didn't ask for. A transparent higher price often beats a "cheap" one that balloons on the last screen.