Pricing Manipulation
Drip Pricing
The price starts polite and becomes honest only at the end.
What is it?
A product seems affordable at first glance, then gradually reveals mandatory fees throughout checkout — each one small, each one already committed to.
How it works
The pattern changes the cost of thinking. It makes the preferred action immediate, emotionally charged, or visually dominant, while making the more reflective action slower, duller, or easier to doubt.
Visual Example
A simplified specimen designed to make the pattern recognizable at a glance.
Ticket checkout with late fees
visual specimen
North Hall Live
General admission
Calculating additional costs...
Psychology
Real World Example
- A 39€ ticket becomes 61€ after platform, processing, and delivery fees.
- A hotel rate excludes unavoidable resort fees until checkout.
Origin: Ticketing, travel, delivery, event platforms, and marketplaces.
Ethical Alternative
Show the total unavoidable price upfront and explain optional costs before the user commits time.
Toxicity Meter
Manipulation dimensions