Dark Patterns in Marketing: How to Make Customers Angry

Imagine you open a website just to check if a product is in stock. Twenty minutes later, you’ve signed up for a subscription for a dollar, added several items to your cart that you never planned to buy, and forgotten why you came in the first place.

They play on the laws of psychology. And although dark patterns bring businesses quick results, the consequences are rarely harmless — both for users and for companies.

In this article, we’ll break down what dark patterns in design are, their types, and how they influence user behavior. We’ll also look at ethical alternatives that work just as well and give businesses not only results but also a loyal audience.

What are dark patterns

Dark patterns are tricks used in apps and websites that make you do things you didn’t mean to do.

Types of dark patterns

Let’s focus on the ones you run into most often.

Forced Continuity

A user signs up for a free trial, but when the trial period ends, the service automatically charges their card without a reminder. The cancellation process is often complicated on purpose.

Preselection (Decisions made for the user)

The platform makes the choice for you in advance — and, of course, in its own favor. These are actions you most likely wouldn’t take voluntarily.

A classic example: you’re placing an order, and somewhere at the bottom of the page the “subscribe to the newsletter” checkbox is already ticked. The agreement happens “by default,” and the user may not even realize they made that choice.

In this case, the checkboxes are not preselected. The user must make the choice themselves

Bait and Switch

This is a classic trick: you’re promised one thing but given another. Users are lured in with an attractive offer, but as soon as they take a step forward, the terms suddenly change.

Another scenario is an online store: a low price is shown for a product, but when you try to place the order, the system pushes an “upgraded” version at a much higher price, while the cheaper option is either unavailable or quietly swapped out.

Roach Motel

Any deliberate complication of the user’s path to a goal that isn’t выгодно for the business. For example, canceling a subscription requires going through five screens with questions like “Are you sure?”. You can sign up in two clicks, but canceling takes 15 steps.

Confirmshaming (Guilt and Pressure)

This tactic manipulates users through shame and emotions. The decline button is worded in a way that makes you feel like you’re missing out or being foolish. Instead of a neutral “No, thanks,” you see something like “I don’t want to stay informed about news and discounts.”

As a result, refusing the offer feels psychologically uncomfortable — as if you’re admitting you made the “wrong” choice.

This dark pattern also appears in apps. For example, marketplaces may send push notifications like “Are you going to miss a great deal again and lose out on that dream dress?” or language-learning services send guilt-tripping messages.

False Scarcity (FOMO Manipulation)

This tactic plays on the fear of missing out. Users are given a sense of urgency: “only 2 spots left,” “the deal ends today,” “this plan will disappear soon.” In reality, the scarcity is often artificial — the offer isn’t going anywhere, but the time pressure pushes people to decide faster than they’d like.

The goal is to create an illusion of rarity and make users act impulsively without thinking through the consequences.

You’ll often see this in ticketing services, airline websites, and online stores.

Disguised Ads

The main goal is to make people act automatically, without thinking, and click in a way that benefits the advertiser.

This tactic is common in pop-up ads: the “Close” button actually leads to an advertising website.

Visual Manipulation

This dark pattern uses color, shape, size, and the placement of interface elements to subtly push users toward a desired action, while making alternative options less noticeable or inconvenient.

Emotional Manipulation

A gift or bonus is presented as “free,” but it still requires actions in return — for example, installing an unnecessary app or entering personal data.

Users feel like they’re losing something if they don’t accept the offer, so they make a decision under emotional pressure rather than rational thinking.

Combining Dark Patterns

The app is presented on the website as free, which is emphasized throughout the interface, yet after installation the user is required to purchase a subscription to use it fully.

Why It Works (and Why It’s Bad)

User Psychology

Metrics and A/B Tests

Companies rely on experimental data to pick the most effective tactics. If a manipulative option increases conversion, it gets locked in as the “norm.”

The Backlash Effect

Although dark patterns may boost conversions in the short term, they come with serious negative consequences for the company:

• Loss of trust: users notice attempts to manipulate them and begin to question the platform’s honesty.
  
  
• Lower retention: once customers realize they were tricked, they leave the service despite the initial success of the tactic.
  
  
• Negative word of mouth: disappointed users share their experiences with friends and acquaintances, scaring off potential new customers.
  
  

Ethical Approaches That Work Too

These are the opposite of dark patterns. The goal is to create a transparent and respectful user experience that benefits both the business and the users.

Honest Subscription:

• Clear information about pricing and terms. Users see what they’re paying for, how often, and for how long.
  
  
• Transparent automatic renewals. If the subscription renews automatically, it’s clearly stated, and turning off renewal is easy.
  
  
• Regular reminders. Notifications are sent before renewal so users have time to decide.
  
  
• Trial periods with clear terms. A free trial comes with straightforward information about switching to a paid subscription.

Simple and Transparent Cancellation Process:

• Easy-to-find cancel button. Placed in a familiar spot and clearly visible.
  
  
• Minimal steps. Unsubscribing doesn’t require extra forms or surveys.
  
  
• Cancellation confirmation. Users receive a clear notice that the subscription has been successfully canceled.
  
  
• Alternative options. Instead of trying to retain users at any cost, you can offer a temporary pause or other useful choices.
  
  

How to Identify and Eliminate Dark Patterns

UX audit focused on manipulation:

• Review buttons, forms, text, and the entire user journey.
• Analyze visual and textual cues that may push users toward unwanted actions.
  
  

Metrics that measure not only conversion but also satisfaction:

• Subscription cancellation and opt-out rates.
• User satisfaction scores (NPS, CSAT).
• Number of support requests complaining about confusing processes.
  
  

The “design debt” approach applied to dark patterns:

Like technical debt, “design debt” is the accumulation of problematic interface decisions that can harm users.

Regular reviews and fixes of these elements reduce this “debt” and make the product transparent and fair.

Summary

Dark patterns in design are a widespread practice where the interface intentionally misleads users for short-term gains. These tactics may increase sales at first, but in the long run they lead to declining trust, lower retention, and a negative perception of the brand. This undermines both the user experience and the company’s reputation.

It’s worth replacing dark patterns with honest and straightforward solutions. Ethical design means respecting the user: transparent subscriptions, easy cancellation, a clear interface, and a sense that people stay in control of the situation.

To spot and remove manipulation, run UX audits and look beyond conversion rates to how comfortable people feel using the product. The concept of design debt is a reminder: deception might work once, but in the long run, honest design always wins.