For long-term business profitability, e-retailers aim to encourage repeat custom by providing visitors to their websites with a simple and efficient user experience (UX). But not all online strategies are completely ethical, says Hilary Stephenson – some deploy psychological persuasion techniques, such as scarcity ‘offers’ or unclear signposting. She cites e-commerce research that reveals some larger organisations – such as fashion brands – have used ‘dark UX’ website design patterns to prompt ‘fear of missing out’ impulse buys. It’s not a good look for the e-retailer, she says, and explains why.