30 questions about you — and one plan for everyone

How the “free quiz” before the payment screen works

Lesson 3 of 6 · ~7 minutes

From the ad to the payment, you’re led through a chain of screens. Sellers call it a “funnel”: at each step some people leave, and the rest put in more and more time and effort. The people who reach the payment screen are the ones who already feel it would be “a shame to quit now”.

  1. The ad A video or picture on social media that hits a sore spot: weight, loneliness, anxiety, putting things off.
  2. An ad dressed up as an article An “article” with a story and a “Take the free quiz” button.
  3. A 20–35 question quiz Your age, problems, dreams. Between the questions: “studies show…” and “thousands of people felt the same way”.
  4. “Analysing your answers…” A nice loading bar. Nothing is being calculated — it’s just a timer that runs for a few seconds.
  5. Your email “Your plan is reserved for you for 15 minutes”. Now they’ll keep emailing you, even if you leave.
  6. “Your results” and a forecast A chart saying “you’ll reach your goal by 22 November”. The date is simply today plus a month.
  7. The payment screen A timer, three plans, a discount, a guarantee. Sometimes a “wheel of fortune” that always lands on the same spot.
  8. Extra offers Right after you pay — 2–4 more offers to buy something else “in one click”.

Take one of these quizzes yourself

Below is a short quiz from CharmPilot, a made-up dating app. Answer however you like and see what happens.

  • If the quiz is “free” but you only see the result after entering your email and paying, it’s not a quiz — it’s a road to the payment screen.
  • Try taking the quiz a second time with the opposite answers. Most of the time the result will be the same.
  • The “discount wheel” and the “secret discount when you close the page” are programmed in advance.

Quiz

Why ask 30 questions if everyone gets the same “plan”?

  • To pick a more accurate plan
  • So you invest time and feelings and it feels like a shame to leave
  • Because app stores require it

The “shame to quit now” feeling kicks in: the more time you’ve already spent, the harder it is to stop.

A screen says “Analysing your answers… 87%”. What’s really going on?

  • A computer is putting together a plan just for you
  • Most likely, it’s just a timer running for a few seconds
  • Your answers are being sent to a psychologist

The loading bar makes it feel like someone is working on your plan. Usually it’s just an animation that lasts a few seconds.

A forecast like “You’ll reach your goal by 22 November” is usually calculated as…

  • Based on your answers
  • Today’s date plus a fixed period
  • The average result of other people

Most often it’s simply “today + one month”. A specific date makes the promise sound believable.

You close the payment page and a “secret 70% discount” pops up. What does that mean?

  • You got lucky
  • It’s a step planned in advance for people who are leaving
  • The website is broken

The “Wait, don’t go!” pop-up is a common trick. The first price was set high with this step in mind.

Which buttons they push in your head

All apps, authors, publications and reviews in this course are made up. Any resemblance to real products is a coincidence. Only the tricks are real.