1. The Psychology of Scarcity: “Only 3 pieces left!”
Have you ever noticed how e-commerce always write “Limited availability!” or “Last 3 pieces in stock”? This is a psychological technique called The Scarcity Principle.
When something seems rare, our brain automatically perceives it as more valuable and we feel compelled to act immediately. Amazon and Booking.com are masters of this strategy, constantly displaying messages like “Someone else is looking at this deal!” to create anxiety and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
2. Psychological Pricing: Why does everything cost €9.99?
Prices that end with .99 work because our brain reads numbers from left to right and perceives €9.99 as closer to 9 than 10.
This technique is also used in the luxury sector. A Porsche at €99,900 seems less expensive than one at €100,000, although the difference is minimal.
3. The Zeigarnik Effect: Netflix and TikTok’s Trick
Netflix and TikTok exploit a psychological phenomenon called The Zeigarnik Effect, which says that our brains hate leaving things unfinished.
That’s why Netflix makes you watch “one more episode”, and TikTok makes you scroll endlessly without ever giving you a real stopping point. You’re trapped in an infinite loop of content.
4. The Illusion of Free: “Try Free for 30 Days”
Many streaming and subscription services offer free trials with one caveat: you have to enter your credit card information.
The catch? They hope you forget to turn off auto-renewal, and then you start paying without even realizing it.
5. Colors That Control Your Brain
Brands use colors to trigger specific emotions:
- Red = Urgency and action (used in sales and buy buttons).
- Blue = Trust and safety (used by Facebook, PayPal, banks).
- Yellow = Optimism and attention (used by McDonald’s, IKEA).
McDonald’s uses red and yellow because this combination stimulates appetite and makes you eat faster.
6. The False Consensus: “Everyone Is Buying It”
When you see a product labeled “Best Seller” or “Amazon Choice”, you’re more likely to trust it.
But the secret? Often these badges are assigned arbitrarily, without a real sales ranking.
7. The Abandoned Cart Trick
If you leave a full cart on an e-commerce site, you will probably receive an email with a special discount to complete the purchase.
Even worse? Some sites raise prices first, then lower them with a “discount code,” making you think you’ve got a bargain.
8. Wait Time Manipulation
McDonald’s and Starbucks make customers wait on purpose to give the illusion that their product is in such demand that lines are forming.
Nightclubs also keep people outside, even if the place inside is half empty. So passersby think: “Wow, this must be an exclusive place.”
9. The Fake “Sold Out” to Generate Hype
Nike and Supreme use “Drop Culture”, which means they release ridiculous quantities of products and immediately declare them sold out.
After resellers drive up the price on the secondary market, Nike re-lists more stock, profiting twice over on the same shoe.
10. The Concept of “Premium” to Get You to Pay More
Many services (Spotify, YouTube, LinkedIn) offer a free version that is so frustrating (full of ads and limitations) that you are pushed to upgrade to the paid version.
Even in restaurants, the most expensive second course is always placed there on purpose, because the real goal is to make you choose the most expensive third course, which has the highest profit margin.
Conclusion: Marketing is a Psychological Game
Modern marketing is no longer based only on advertising and promotions, but on psychological techniques and illusions that influence your choices without you realizing it.
Next time you buy something, stop for a moment and ask yourself:
“Am I deciding or has the brand already decided for me?”
