Ever notice Apple’s clever little nudge at checkout?
Picture this:
Apple’s Halloween event. New M3 MacBook Pro revealed. Space black. OMG. Heartbeat quickens. You rush to their site, credit card in hand.
The Apple website always has a pair of eyes / camera lenses next to the Add to Bag button. It’s not just the Macbook: Before purchasing any Apple product, something is visually “looking” at you right before you pay.
But why?
The answer is visibility.
Apple wants us to feel “seen”.
As if someone is watching us 🕵️♀️ and we will feel guilty if we abandon the purchase.
The Power of Visibility
Studies show that when we feel eyes on us, we change how we act.
It’s like we’re on stage. 🎭
When feeling watched, people tend to be nicer, give more, and show their emotions.1 This ‘being watched’ vibe also nudges people to conform to social expectations.2
Considering Apple’s prestigious status, especially among those with deep pockets, this could be their subtle way of urging us to hit Add to Cart. Those camera eyes? They are Apple’s quiet invitation, saying, “Go ahead, you know you want to—everyone expects it of you.”
While we can’t confirm if it is intentional, the fact that nearly every product has a pair of eyes beside the Add to Cart button is something to be… aware of (see what I did there?).
Here is a more detailed breakdown:
This lacks validity and essentially amounts to a conspiracy theory. OP is cherry-picking specific examples to promote their article:
- Their first example involves an Apple TV ad for ‘Lessons in Chemistry,’ only visible if you scroll to the very bottom of the page. The ‘add to bag’ bar is floating, so it always stays at the bottom of the screen, even under the ad, if you scroll far enough down.
- The second example with the iPhone follows the common front/back shot used by Apple for all their phones. Given the limited space around the call-to-action, the camera array is more visually appealing than the top third of a powered-off iPhone.
- And their watch example is the most far-fetched. Apple adds videos for a personalized experience. Naturally, a person talking in the video will look at the camera, simulating direct communication for a more personal touch.
Clearly, OP is trying to promote their blog post but lacks thorough research. Apple does employ psychological strategies in marketing (like the angle of laptop screens in stores), but this isn’t one of them.