Capterra Glossary
Manipulative Design
Manipulative design is a term coined by Harry Brignull (a user design specialist) used to describe the manipulative tactics websites and applications use to get users to perform actions that they did not intend to. One example of manipulative design is hiding delivery charges, sales tax, and service fees from product pricing on an eCommerce site. This manipulates customers into thinking that they are going to pay one price for a product, but once they review their cart, they end up having to pay a steeper price. This tricks the customer into thinking that they are getting a good deal on a product when in reality they are paying more to receive the product than originally advertised. Although most manipulative design tactics are legal, businesses that value their integrity often have ethical design principles that limit the use of manipulative design during the website and application development process.
What Small and Midsize Businesses Need to Know About Manipulative Design
Small and midsize businesses should refrain from using manipulative design tactics, as these tactics can result in negative publicity. Small corporations often avoid using manipulative design tactics by being transparent about what they intend to do with the data they collect from users and being upfront about product and service costs.