Profit over principles: unveiling the motivating factors behind dark patterns in e-commerce through the lens of agency theory

Purpose E-commerce companies use manipulative user interface (UI) designs known as dark patterns to influence customer decisions over internet platforms. Although dark patterns are known to annoy users and erode customer trust, e-commerce companies continue to use them heavily. Therefore, this study identifies and ranks the factors that motivate e-commerce companies to use dark patterns. Design/methodology/approach Feedback from 17 industry experts was collected, and a novel causal modelling technique known as the Grey Influence Analysis (GINA) was applied to discover the most important motivating factors in the system. Findings Meeting long-term economic goals, leveraging data from the existing users and meeting short-term marketing goals emerged as the most crucial reasons behind dark pattern usage. These motivational factors indicate that e-commerce companies prioritize profits over sustainability and are coherent with the agency theory of corporate governance. Research limitations/implications The motivating factors have been identified considering the overall e-commerce industry. The factors may vary for specialized e-commerce sectors. Practical implications The study’s findings could help e-commerce managers adopt a user-centric approach and encourage them to fulfil their motivations behind dark patterns via other ethical strategies. Furthermore, company shareholders and managers could resolve conflicts of interest to avoid dark patterns and adopt a customer-centric approach. The study would also spark discussions on digital ethics and prompt legal authorities to devise policies against dark patterns. Originality/value The study demonstrates a systematic methodology for utilizing GINA in various domains. Additionally, it advances the literature on dark patterns and online customer manipulation.