Misc
29 Psychological Tricks To Make You Buy More
29 Psychological Tricks To Make You Buy More
Ever suffered from buyer’s remorse? You’re not alone.
According to a recent survey, only 5% of people have never felt guilty about buying something. That means the majority of us, at some point in our lives, have regretted a purchase.
But consumers aren’t necessarily only to blame for impulse buys. After all, we’re constantly bombarded with advertisements and marketing tactics specifically tailored to try and get us to spend more money.
Today’s graphic by TitleMax explains 29 different psychological tactics that marketers try to get consumers to buy more.
Tricks are for Marketers
While this list isn’t exhaustive, it provides some key examples of the ways that marketers are attempting to influence your subconscious mind.
We noticed some high-level trends among the 29 tactics, which we compiled into four overarching sections:
- Visual Pricing Tricks
These tricks aim to intentionally minimize the appearance of the price, so it’s more palatable to consumers. For instance, a store will price something at $9.99 instead of $10.00, or label a product as “buy-one-get-one” rather than 50% off. - Intentional Language Tricks
It’s not what you say, but how you say it. Making products seem costly to manufacture, offering exclusivity, and using words associated with small amounts fall under this category. These tricks use semantics to position a product in an appealing way. - Brick-and-Mortar Tricks
A store’s layout is less arbitrary than you may realize. Having a bright and colorful entrance, playing calm and slow music, and putting the essential items at the back of the store are a few tactics that fall into this section. These tricks use displays and product placement to influence consumer behavior. - Urgency Tricks
A false sense of urgency and phase-out discounts are included in this category. If a consumer believes they might miss out on a deal, they’re more likely to buy.
The Theories in Practice
While most retailers are guilty of using at least a few of these tactics, several big companies are notorious for their use of psychological tricks to boost sales.
For instance, Ikea is well known for its confusing, maze-like layout. This is no accident, as an Ikea store’s architecture is designed specifically to maximize product exposure—it’s mastered what’s called the Gruen effect, a term named after architect Victor Gruen, whose elaborate displays were proven to convert browsers into buyers.
Another example is Walmart’s rollback pricing, which uses visual contrast to make the sale price more appealing. It’s clearly served the company well—in 2019, Walmart made $524 billion in revenue, making it the world’s largest retailer.
Costco uses a few tactics on the list, but one it’s notorious for is putting fresh produce in the back of the store. That means customers need to pass through the electronics, clothing, and household goods sections before they can get to the necessities.
While the above tactics are in a gray area, other tricks are flat out dishonest. Makeup brand Sunday Riley was caught writing fake Sephora reviews to boost sales. Employees were encouraged to write outstanding reviews for the company, and the CEO even provided instructions on how to avoid getting caught.
The Influencer Era
As consumers become aware of certain marketing tactics, retailers are forced to switch up their game in order to remain effective.
A relatively recent phenomenon is influencer marketing, which is when brands partner with vloggers or influencers to endorse a product. And these partnerships tend to work—a recent survey revealed that 40% of people have purchased something based on an influencer’s recommendation.
But how long will influencer marketing—or any of these tactics—stay effective? Some of the more subtle pricing tactics might stay relevant for longer, but it’s unlikely that all of these tricks will stand the test of time.
Maps
Mapped: Most Searched-For Electric Vehicles by Country
Industry stars, new entrants, and local models all populate this map of the most searched-for electric vehicles by country in 2022.

The Most Searched-For Electric Vehicles By Country
The EV revolution has been in full swing over the last few years, with new electric vehicles reaching milestones in range and affordability.
But as with traditional automobiles, countries around the world have different favorite models.
So which electric vehicle is each country’s inhabitants interested in? GRIDSERVE pulled together a database of the most searched-for electric vehicles by country in 2022.
Using Google Keyword Planner, they gathered the volume of online searches for 317 EVs across more than 200 countries and mapped the most popular results in each location.
The Most Googled Electric Vehicles By Country in 2022
Lexus’ first fully electric car, the Lexus RZ, was the most searched-for model in a whopping 47 countries, more than one-fifth of the entire dataset.
The car’s unusual steering—a yoke that isn’t physically connected to the tires—could certainly make it worth a quick Google to see what all the fuss is about.
The Tesla Model 3 came in strong at second place as the top search in 35 countries, with the Kia EV6 ranked third.
Here’s the full database of the most searched for EV in each country, along with the search volume.
Country / Territory | Most-Searched EV | Search Volume |
---|---|---|
🇦🇫 Afghanistan | Lexus RZ | 730 |
🇦🇱 Albania | MG5 EV | 7,590 |
🇩🇿 Algeria | Tesla Model 3 | 9,860 |
🇦🇸 American Samoa | Tesla Model 3 | 100 |
🇦🇩 Andorra | Tesla Model 3 | 930 |
🇦🇴 Angola | Porsche Taycan | 840 |
🇦🇮 Anguilla | Nissan Leaf | 130 |
🇦🇷 Argentina | IVECO eDaily | 63,800 |
🇦🇲 Armenia | Volkswagen ID.4 | 44,720 |
🇦🇺 Australia | Tesla Model 3 | 538,900 |
🇦🇹 Austria | Skoda Enyaq | 220,100 |
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | Lexus RZ | 9,600 |
🇧🇸 Bahamas | Tesla Model 3 | 1,210 |
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Lexus RZ | 6,680 |
🇧🇩 Bangladesh | Tesla Model 3 | 10,610 |
🇧🇧 Barbados | Nissan Leaf | 1,040 |
🇧🇾 Belarus | Tesla Model S | 14,480 |
🇧🇪 Belgium | Chery QQ Ice Cream | 304,200 |
🇧🇿 Belize | Lexus RZ | 490 |
🇧🇲 Bermuda | BMW i3 | 620 |
🇧🇯 Benin | VinFast VF 9 | 9,600 |
🇧🇹 Bhutan | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 1,140 |
🇧🇴 Bolivia | Beijing EU5 | 3,800 |
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina | Rimac Nevera | 13,280 |
🇧🇼 Botswana | BMW iX | 730 |
🇧🇷 Brazil | Porsche Taycan | 670,500 |
🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands | Lexus RZ | 140 |
🇧🇳 Brunei | Lexus RZ | 1,880 |
🇧🇬 Bulgaria | BMW i3 | 24,500 |
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | VinFast VF 9 | 5,310 |
🇧🇮 Burundi | VinFast VF 9 | 280 |
🇰🇭 Cambodia | VinFast VF 9 | 7,400 |
🇨🇲 Cameroon | Lexus RZ | 9,920 |
🇨🇦 Canada | Kia EV6 | 916,500 |
🇨🇻 Cape Verde | Mazda MX 30 | 260 |
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | Tesla Model 3 | 470 |
🇨🇫 Central African Republic | Lexus RZ | 120 |
🇹🇩 Chad | VinFast VF 9 | 370 |
🇨🇱 Chile | VinFast VF e34 | 48,300 |
🇨🇳 China | Tesla Model 3 | 10,200 |
🇨🇴 Colombia | Tesla Model S | 56,600 |
🇰🇲 Comoros | Kia EV6 | 100 |
🇨🇰 Cook Islands | Nissan Leaf | 110 |
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | BMW iX | 13,090 |
🇭🇷 Croatia | Rimac Nevera | 60,700 |
🇨🇾 Cyprus | Nissan Leaf | 7,490 |
🇨🇿 Czech Republic | Porsche Taycan | 74,900 |
🇨🇩 DRC | Lexus RZ | 3,140 |
🇩🇰 Denmark | Polestar 2 | 316,500 |
🇩🇯 Djibouti | Tesla Model 3 | 230 |
🇩🇲 Dominica | Lexus RZ | 15,600 |
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | VinFast VF 9 | 15,600 |
🇨🇩 Congo | Lexus RZ | 3,140 |
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | Tesla Model 3 | 120 |
🇪🇨 Ecuador | Chery QQ Ice Cream | 22,000 |
🇪🇬 Egypt | Volkswagen ID.4 | 29,690 |
🇸🇻 El Salvador | Tesla Model 3 | 4,110 |
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | Lexus RZ | 820 |
🇪🇷 Eritrea | Tesla Model 3 | 50 |
🇪🇪 Estonia | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 12,120 |
🇸🇿 Eswatini | BMW iX | 210 |
🇪🇹 Ethiopia | Volkswagen ID.4 | 10,940 |
🇫🇴 Faroe Islands | Kia EV6 | 890 |
🇫🇯 Fiji | Nissan Leaf | 900 |
🇫🇮 Finland | Polestar 2 | 210,900 |
🇫🇷 France | Tesla Model 3 | 1,909,000 |
🇬🇫 French Guiana | Arcfox Alpha-S | 1,030 |
🇵🇫 French Polynesia | Tesla Model 3 | 1,000 |
🇬🇦 Gabon | Lexus RZ | 1,100 |
🇬🇲 Gambia | Lexus RZ | 490 |
🇩🇪 Germany | Tesla Model 3 | 1,954,000 |
🇬🇪 Georgia | VinFast VF 9 | 21,500 |
🇬🇭 Ghana | Lexus RZ | 38,300 |
🇬🇮 Gibraltar | Kia EV6 | 190 |
🇬🇷 Greece | Tesla Model 3 | 90,600 |
🇬🇱 Greenland | Subaru Solterra | 630 |
🇬🇹 Guatemala | Arcfox Alpha-S | 5,660 |
🇬🇺 Guam | Lexus RZ | 1,200 |
🇬🇬 Guernsey | Volkswagen ID.Buzz | 630 |
🇬🇳 Guinea | VinFast VF 9 | 9,600 |
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | Polestar 2 | 130 |
🇬🇾 Guyana | Geometry EX3 | 2,180 |
🇭🇳 Honduras | Tesla Model 3 | 4,350 |
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Tesla Model Y | 122,200 |
🇭🇺 Hungary | BMW i3 | 142,700 |
🇮🇸 Iceland | Kia EV6 | 18,440 |
🇮🇳 India | Tata Nexon | 2,364,000 |
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Wuling Air Ev | 992,120 |
🇮🇶 Iraq | Lexus RZ | 4,530 |
🇮🇷 Iran | BMW iX | 10 |
🇮🇪 Ireland | Kia EV6 | 123,700 |
🇮🇲 Isle of Man | Vauxhall Vivaro | 820 |
🇮🇱 Israel | Aiways U5 | 58,600 |
🇮🇹 Italy | Tesla Model 3 | 911,000 |
🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire | Tesla Model 3 | 2,750 |
🇯🇲 Jamaica | Lexus RZ | 3,360 |
🇯🇵 Japan | Lexus RZ | 190,600 |
🇯🇴 Jordan | Dongfeng EM10 | 46,200 |
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | VinFast VF 9 | 49,000 |
🇰🇪 Kenya | Lexus RZ | 17,700 |
🇽🇰 Kosovo | Porsche Taycan | 4,140 |
🇰🇼 Kuwait | Lexus RZ | 10,170 |
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | Lexus RZ | 9,270 |
🇱🇦 Laos | Tesla Model 3 | 2,110 |
🇱🇻 Latvia | Nissan Leaf | 10,960 |
🇱🇧 Lebanon | Volkswagen ID.4 | 14,380 |
🇱🇸 Lesotho | Tesla Model X | 220 |
🇱🇷 Liberia | Lexus RZ | 340 |
🇱🇾 Libya | Lexus RZ | 600 |
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 870 |
🇱🇹 Lithuania | Nissan Leaf | 24,000 |
🇱🇺 Luxembourg | Kia EV6 | 13,620 |
🇲🇴 Macao | Tesla Model Y | 1,500 |
🇲🇬 Madagascar | IVECO eDaily | 480 |
🇲🇼 Malawi | Beijing EU7 | 450 |
🇲🇱 Mali | VinFast VF 9 | 1,020 |
🇲🇾 Malaysia | BMW iX | 167,300 |
🇲🇻 Maldives | Tesla Model 3 | 910 |
🇲🇹 Malta | Honda E | 5,090 |
🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | Ford F-150 Lightning | 80 |
🇲🇷 Mauritania | Lexus RZ | 570 |
🇲🇺 Mauritius | Kia EV6 | 25,160 |
🇲🇽 Mexico | Tesla Model 3 | 375,500 |
🇲🇩 Moldova | BMW iX | 8,520 |
🇲🇨 Monaco | Tesla Model 3 | 470 |
🇲🇳 Mongolia | Lexus RZ | 6,530 |
🇲🇪 Montenegro | Rimac Nevera | 3,010 |
🇲🇦 Morocco | Tesla Model 3 | 15,780 |
🇲🇿 Mozambique | Lexus RZ | 900 |
🇲🇲 Myanmar | Lexus RZ | 3,860 |
🇳🇦 Namibia | Nissan Leaf | 1,100 |
🇳🇷 Nauru | Lexus RZ | 70 |
🇳🇵 Nepal | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 18,910 |
🇳🇱 Netherlands | Kia EV6 | 764,000 |
🇳🇨 New Caledonia | Kia EV6 | 980 |
🇳🇿 New Zealand | Nissan Leaf | 80,400 |
🇳🇮 Nicaragua | Tesla Model S | 2,010 |
🇳🇪 Niger | VinFast VF 9 | 1,960 |
🇳🇬 Nigeria | Lexus RZ | 328,500 |
🇲🇰 North Macedonia | Rimac Nevera | 4,850 |
🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 180 |
🇳🇴 Norway | Tesla Model Y | 388,600 |
🇴🇲 Oman | Lexus RZ | 7,950 |
🇵🇰 Pakistan | Audi e-tron GT | 28,100 |
🇵🇼 Palau | Tesla Model X | 120 |
🇵🇸 Palestine | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 1,390 |
🇵🇦 Panama | Lexus RZ | 5,510 |
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | Lexus RZ | 290 |
🇵🇾 Paraguay | Tesla Model 3 | 10,050 |
🇵🇪 Peru | Tesla Model S | 26,200 |
🇵🇭 Philippines | Tesla Model S | 64,000 |
🇵🇱 Poland | IVECO eDaily | 281,100 |
🇵🇹 Portugal | Kia EV6 | 199,400 |
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 17,160 |
🇷🇴 Romania | Arcfox Alpha-S | 174,600 |
🇷🇼 Rwanda | Beijing EU5 | 480 |
🇧🇱 Saint Barthelemy | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 50 |
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis | Lexus RZ | 170 |
🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | Lexus RZ | 1,030 |
🇲🇫 Saint Martin | Tesla Model Y | 60 |
🇵🇲 Saint Pierre & Miquelon | Tesla Model 3 | 90 |
🇼🇸 Samoa | Tesla Model X | 120 |
🇸🇲 San Marino | Tesla Model 3 | 410 |
🇸🇹 Sao Tome & Principe | Kia EV6 | 100 |
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Lexus RZ | 35,900 |
🇷🇸 Serbia | Rimac Nevera | 27,000 |
🇸🇳 Senegal | Arcfox Alpha-S | 1,710 |
🇸🇨 Seychelles | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 490 |
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | Lexus RZ | 920 |
🇸🇬 Singapore | BYD e6 | 57,000 |
🇸🇰 Slovakia | Kia EV6 | 60,400 |
🇸🇮 Slovenia | BMW i4 | 15,960 |
🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | Tesla Model 3 | 90 |
🇸🇴 Somalia | Arcfox Alpha-S | 490 |
🇿🇦 South Africa | BMW iX | 106,800 |
🇰🇷 South Korea | BMW i4 | 99,200 |
🇪🇸 Spain | Tesla Model 3 | 816,122 |
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Geometry EX3 | 37,100 |
🇸🇩 North Sudan | Tesla Model X | 520 |
🇸🇸 South Sudan | Arcfox Alpha-S | 10 |
🇸🇷 Suriname | Lexus RZ | 2,340 |
🇸🇪 Sweden | Kia EV6 | 499,000 |
🇨🇭 Switzerland | Tesla Model 3 | 201,300 |
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Chery QQ Ice Cream | 208,200 |
🇹🇯 Tajikistan | Lexus RZ | 4,380 |
🇹🇿 Tanzania | Lexus RZ | 3,080 |
🇹🇭 Thailand | Ora Good Cat | 573,100 |
🇹🇬 Togo | Lexus RZ | 2,520 |
🇹🇴 Tonga | Tesla Model S | 80 |
🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | Nissan Leaf | 5,010 |
🇹🇳 Tunisia | Sono Motors Sion | 7,620 |
🇹🇷 Turkey | Porsche Taycan | 434,200 |
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | Lexus RZ | 7,360 |
🇹🇻 Tuvalu | Tesla Model S | 20 |
🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands | Lexus RZ | 630 |
🇺🇬 Uganda | Lexus RZ | 3,340 |
🇦🇪 UAE | Volkswagen ID.4 | 114,920 |
🇬🇧 UK | Tesla Model 3 | 1,258,500 |
🇺🇾 Uruguay | BYD e2 | 19,620 |
🇺🇸 U.S. | Tesla Model 3 | 6,855,000 |
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | Tesla Model 3 | 26,300 |
🇻🇺 Vanuatu | Tesla Model 3 | 100 |
🇻🇪 Venezuela | Tesla Model S | 10,190 |
🇻🇳 Vietnam | Lexus RZ | 204,800 |
🇼🇫 Wallis & Futuna | Kia EV6 | 60 |
🇪🇭 Western Sahara | Tesla Model S | 180 |
🇾🇪 Yemen | Lexus RZ | 590 |
🇿🇲 Zambia | VinFast VF 9 | 2,360 |
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | Beijing EU7 | 2,700 |
Aside from popular global brands, GRIDSERVE’s database also highlights regional automakers. For example, Croatian manufacturer Rimac Automobili’s Nevera was the most highly searched-for electric vehicle in multiple Balkan countries. In India, the country’s own Tata Nexon dominated search volume.
And Vietnamese brand VinFast’s electric vehicles were the top EVs of interest in neighboring Cambodia and 12 other countries across the world (though not Vietnam itself, which searched more for the Lexus RZ).
In China, where Google isn’t the most-used search engine, results favored the Tesla Model 3. But Tesla was distinctly outsold by Chinese automaker BYD in 2022.
It’s also worth noting that most of the top searches were for a sedan or crossover SUV, but not all. In the British crown dependencies Guernsey and Isle of Man, the most searched EVs were an electric minivan (Guernsey) and van (Isle of Man).
The Most Googled Electric Vehicle In the U.S.
In the U.S., the Tesla Model 3 was the most searched-for electric vehicle in 2022. Breaking down results by states highlights its massive local footprint:
The Tesla tide across the map is unsurprising, given its aggressive market entry and role in popularizing EVs in the country. But as new entries continue to chip away at the market, warnings around Tesla’s projected decline in market share have begun to spring up.
Of the nine states that searched more for other electric vehicle makers, six of them were for foreign manufacturers Hyundai and Kia and three of them preferred U.S. carmakers Rivian and Cadillac.
The Most Searched-For Electric Vehicle By Search Volume
Tesla’s popularity in countries like the U.S., Germany, and France helps gave it the most searched-for electric vehicle by sheer volume, despite Lexus winning first place in more locations.
Here are the top 10 most searched for electric vehicles by total volume in 2022:
Electric Vehicle | Google Search Volume (2022) |
---|---|
Tesla Model 3 | 19,989,872 |
Kia EV6 | 15,815,185 |
Tesla Model Y | 13,908,451 |
Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 12,689,787 |
Tesla Model S | 11,459,099 |
Porsche Taycan | 10,511,286 |
Tesla Model X | 9,535,778 |
Polestar 2 | 8,212,142 |
Lexus RZ | 7,186,840 |
BMW i4 | 7,063,510 |
The Model 3’s sheer popularity put it in first place. The company’s Model Y and Model S were also in the top five, where they were joined by the Korean-made Kia EV6 and Hyundai IONIQ 5.
The Lexus RZ, by contrast, ranked as the 9th-most-popular electric vehicle by search volume. It had less than half of the Model 3’s search volume and was also behind the Porsche Taycan, Tesla Model X, and Polestar 2.
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