Caught in the Web: How E-commerce Plays with Consumer Minds

In the context of contemporary e-commerce, the cognitive exploitation of consumers has become a significant concern. This article addresses how suppliers use advanced techniques such as nudges, dark patterns, heuristics, and cognitive biases to unduly influence consumer decisions by exploiting their cognitive vulnerability. The analysis includes discussions on informational asymmetry, informational fatigue, and the manipulation of consumers’ selective attention. Furthermore, measures are proposed to balance digital consumer relations, including updating regulations, promoting best practices by suppliers, educating consumers, and the active role of regulatory bodies and the judiciary. The conclusion emphasizes that effective consumer protection in the digital environment requires a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach aimed at building a fairer and more transparent market.