Greg Wise says, “Remember that old game show, Let’s Make a Deal? Contestants were given the choice between a prize they could see—such as $1,000 right here, right now—and a prize they couldn’t. Let’s see what’s behind door number two! While we watched at home, yelling at the contestant for being so stupid as to give up the certain prize for the cheap toaster that inevitably waited behind the closed door, we still knew deep down that we’d have taken the chance on the possibility of a bigger prize.

It’s the same anticipation that drives us to play the lottery—to give up our hard-earned dollars for the chance at something bigger. Whether we pick our numbers and sit back to wait or buy a scratch card for immediate results, the outcome is the same.

So, it turns out the game shows and the lotteries are popular for a psychological reason, and not just because there’s a chance we could win millions. The same reason people love playing the lottery or picking what’s behind door number one can also help you when marketing your ecommerce site.

Psychology of Ecommerce Sales: Motivating with Uncertainty

HubSpot

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