Online firms frequently increase profit by selling optional extras. However, opt-in rates tend to be low. In response, questionable design practices have emerged to nudge consumers into inadvertent choices. Many of these design constructs are presented using an opt-out design. Using eye tracking and think-aloud data techniques, this research investigates the impact of the framing and optionality of micro-decisions on user perceptions and error rates. Focusing on opt-out decisions, the study found: up to one in three users make errors in decision-making; there is a higher error rate for rejection-framed opt-out decisions; users widely misinterpret decision framing; and failure to read decision text results in rushed and unsighted decisions, even leading users to automatically construe un-ticked checkboxes as opt-in decisions.
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Dissecting Optional Micro-Decisions in Online Transactions: Perceptions, Deceptions, and Errors
Focusing on opt-out decisions, the study found: up to one in three users make errors in decision-making; there is a higher error rate for rejection-framed opt- out decisions; users widely misinterpret decision framing; and failure to read decision text results in rushed and unsighted decisions.