The Rest of the World is Different
I just received my settlement cheque from the FTC. Apparently, as an ex-Amazon Prime member, I have been injured by their deceptive practices and am entitled to 29 dollars and 98 cents. And I receive a paper cheque. No bank in Denmark will cash that – cheques were discontinued in Denmark a decade ago. To get my $29.98, I would have to travel to the U.S., which for obvious reasons won’t happen.
We assume that the rest of the world operates like we do. It doesn’t. Germany still has fax machines. I don’t know how things are done in South Korea or China, but it is a safe bet that I cannot imagine it.
If you want to address the world, you need someone who knows each part. Distance is not dead.
Using the Power of UX for Good or Bad
You can easily manipulate users. Using design tricks to confuse and deceive users is known as “Dark UX,” and Airbnb has been an enthusiastic practitioner. For example, American users have always been surprised that their great deals look much less great after humongous compulsory “cleaning fees” are added at the last step.
I never saw this trick in Denmark because such shenanigans are illegal here. Airbnb power users know to search for Airbnb rentals in the US on the Australian site because deceptive practices are also illegal there.
Under pressure from users and regulators, Airbnb has stalled for years, implausibly claiming technical challenges in displaying the total price. However, it seems like the pressure has now grown too big to ignore, and even Americans should shortly be able to see the actual price.
User Experience knowledge is meant to help users, not trick them. You don’t want your company to become a byword for deception like Airbnb has become.