OECD aligned example group · 8 comparisons

Urgency interface examples

Applies temporal or quantitative pressure through real, exaggerated or fabricated scarcity claims.

Select one example to inspect the complete problematic and neutral HTML interfaces. These fictional comparisons support learning and review. The group is a working taxonomy, not a statutory category or a conclusion that a particular interface is unlawful.

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Countdown timer

Sale timer resets on reload

Retail promotionPricing

A fictional retailer shows a fifteen-minute sale countdown that returns to fifteen minutes whenever the page reloads and the price never changes at zero.

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Countdown timer

Reservation timer has no inventory hold

Ticket checkoutCheckout

A fictional ticket seller displays “Seats held for 02:00” although no seats are reserved and the timer simply restarts after zero.

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High-demand claim

Fabricated live-viewer count

Travel search resultPricing

A fictional travel site displays “42 people are viewing this” from a fixed script that runs for every result and visitor.

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High-demand claim

Old booking spike presented as current demand

Event ticket pagePricing

A fictional seller says “Selling fast today” using sales from the launch week three months earlier.

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Limited-time or reservation claim

Weekend offer continues every week

Subscription landing pagePricing

A fictional service says an annual discount ends Sunday, then automatically replaces the date each Monday while keeping the same price.

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Limited-time or reservation claim

Reservation claim persists without a hold

Accommodation checkoutCheckout

A fictional booking page says “This room is reserved for you while you complete booking”, although no inventory is held and the message persists indefinitely.

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Low-stock claim

Generic “only one left” across every variant

Fashion product pagePricing

A fictional store displays “Only one left” for every size and colour even though the warning is not linked to variant-level inventory.

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Low-stock claim

Warehouse stock used to imply online scarcity

Appliance checkoutCheckout

A fictional retailer says “Last item online” by counting one local warehouse while identical inventory is available through its normal fulfilment network.

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Sources used across this example group

Evidence base

Sources

  1. Dark commercial patternsOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development · Secondary · checked 2026-09-14 · OECD Digital Economy Papers No. 336
  2. Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Act 2026Federal Register of Legislation · Primary · checked 2026-09-14 · C2026A00064
  3. Competition and Consumer Act 2010, including Schedule 2: Australian Consumer LawFederal Register of Legislation · Primary · checked 2026-09-14 · C2004A00109
  4. Manipulative conduct in the digital economy, pricing claims and competition in essential services among ACCC priorities for year aheadAustralian Competition and Consumer Commission · Primary · checked 2026-08-09
  5. Exposure draft explanatory materials: unfair trading practicesTreasury · Primary · checked 2026-08-09