An offer for a second pair of earbuds left a Status Audio shopper frustrated since they had already made a purchase, yet the page in front of them looked to them like a checkout step they still needed to complete.
Here's what to know
The shopper shared the order confirmation screen on Reddit, writing, "Order confirmation page looks like the checkout page — but orders a new one in addition to my order."
Accepting the offer meant purchasing two pairs in total. According to the post, it appeared only after the first order was placed, although the presentation made the discount look, at least with a cursory glance, as if it applied to that order.
Commenters said the page gave the impression of an unfinished transaction. They cited the prominent payment button, a final progress bar stage shown in grey, and a countdown clock. To be fair to the company, though, the page does also have large print labeling the offer as "Get a 2nd Pair for 20% OFF."
Said one commenter: "It took me about 2 seconds to realize this was to buy a second pair. There is nothing here that makes me think I'm getting a discount on the original pair I purchased. I would also like to see the screen before this."
Most commenters agreed with the OP that it was an example of "dark patterns" designed to guide users into purchases they did not visit the site with an intention to make, which could be seen as comparable to sending museum visitors into a gift shop if not intended to deceive in the way the OP and many commenters seemed to suspect.
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Declining the offer required using a less noticeable link, another commenter noted, while "Pay Now" received the emphasis of a large, bold button.
Careful customers would always read everything before clicking on another button during an order, but the OP's point was that the screen appears only after many have let their guard down, believing they are merely completing their initial order. A tired shopper might then fail to notice their intended order had been confirmed in the small print up top.
More background
Commenters also questioned a "Subscribe & Save" option for headphones. "What person would ever deliberately subscribe to get a new set of earbuds each month?" one commenter asked.
To avoid being left without working earbuds, another commenter said they would have needed to request a warranty replacement as soon as their delivery arrived. They attributed that predicament to how quickly their earbuds broke.
The original poster, however, explained that sound quality had motivated the purchase despite their objections to the sales experience. "I bought them because the sound quality is, in my opinion, the best of any in-ear buds I've tried."
What can be done?
Shoppers should be able to weigh a discount on two pairs while deciding what to buy, one commenter argued, rather than encounter it only after paying for the first pair.
Warranty replacements were among the benefits that commenters discussing user experience said sellers should explain clearly, along with subscription terms, before a shopper clicks to buy.
With little space devoted to confirming the order and the progress indicator looking incomplete, another commenter suggested making the completed purchase more obvious.
"Yup. Any time you see a bunch of post-transaction upsells, it's a huge red flag," said another user.
Where can I learn more?
Confusing checkout screens can make it hard to tell what you're paying for. These stories cover issues from subscription cancellation hurdles to ticket resale pricing.
• Netflix pushes a pause option during cancellation, prompting warnings that billing could start again.
• Adobe subscribers say switching plans resets the 14-day fee-free cancellation window.
• In India, Amazon was ordered to refund a user after adding Prime Video ads mid-subscription.
• A Bruno Mars fan's $299 Ticketmaster listing showed a $422.45 buyer price and $254.15 payout.
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