Design for Mindful Consumption: How UX Powers Sustainable Choices in a World of Excess
How designers can create more ethical e-commerce experiences that balance business goals with sustainable consumption
Watch Time: 44 mins
Happy Tuesday, usually I send out the podcast on Monday but you’re receiving it today because yesterday was a holiday. 🐣 Today I’m chatting with Anna Ratkai on sustainable e-commerce. Did you know design can make consumers spend more?
Anna Ratkai is a UX researcher and sustainability advocate. She’s the creator of Kind Commerce. Anna reveals how design influences our buying behaviors and consumption patterns. Discover how deceptive UX patterns drive overconsumption, learn practical strategies for more ethical e-commerce design, and explore Anna's "Kind Commerce" project that's reimagining how we shop online. Scroll down to explore her pattern library. Perfect for designers, sustainability advocates, and conscious consumers looking to understand the hidden psychology behind our consumption.
Resources
“Design is power. And as designers, we need to be become more aware of the impact we have and increasingly say no to things that are harmful."
— Anna Ratkai
Read my highlights below to get a quick overview and listen to the full episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple.
Do me a favor and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify if you enjoy this. ☺️
Chapters
[00:00:03] Meet Anna Ratkai: UX Researcher and Sustainability Advocate
[00:00:34] From Fashion Documentary to Sustainable UX Journey
[00:01:22] Behavioral Science and Consumption Patterns
[00:03:15] How UX Designers Impact Sustainability
[00:04:40] The Sustainable Futures Design Framework
[00:10:58] Digital Products' Environmental Footprint
[00:11:27] Sustainable Products vs. Sustainable User Behavior
[00:14:21] The Hidden Costs of Fast Consumption
[00:16:31] Dark Patterns Driving Impulse Buying
[00:18:14] The Ethics of Easy Returns and "Bracketing"
[00:20:59] Power Imbalance in Online Shopping Psychology
[00:27:58] How Frictionless Design Creates Mindless Shopping
[00:32:59] Kind Commerce: Building Ethical Alternatives
[00:33:24] Sustainable E-commerce Pattern Examples
[00:36:26] Brands Leading in Sustainable E-commerce
[00:39:20] Challenging "Don't Make Me Think" UX Narratives
[00:41:46] Designing Technology for Conscious Consumption ⚡️
Get the ecommerce pattern library
3 Ways We Can Co-Create ✨🔮
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