Dark Patterns in E-Commerce Platforms: An International Analysis of Temu.com

Yıl 2026, Cilt: 1 Sayı: 2, 66 - 84, 17.01.2026

Ömer Erdem

Öz

Manipulative interface designs known as dark patterns have become an increasing source of concern in digital commerce due to their ability to influence users’ decisions without their awareness. This study examines the dark patterns used on the Temu.com platform from a cross-national perspective. The research is based on 1,964 one- and two-star user reviews user reviews collected from Trustpilot across 68 different countries during August 2025. The data were obtained using a web scraping method implemented with the Python programming language and the Selenium library. Within the scope of a quantitative content analysis that combines semi-automated keyword screening, manual coding, and statistical analyses, the study focuses on the 20 countries with the highest number of reviews (n = 1,826). The findings indicate that there are pronounced differences between countries in terms of both the prevalence and the distribution of dark pattern types. It is observed that Anglo-Saxon markets, comprising the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Ireland, have significantly higher dark pattern ratios compared to Continental European countries, pointing to the influence of cultural and regulatory contexts. While misdirection emerges as the most frequently encountered dark pattern type, country-specific tendencies stand out, such as gamification in the United States and confirmshaming in Spain. Complaints that do not involve dark patterns mainly concentrate on operational issues such as delivery, refund processes, and customer service. While statistical analyses reveal significant differences between countries, no significant relationship is identified between the number of reviews and the prevalence of dark patterns.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Dark Patterns , E-Commerce Platforms , Cross-Cultural Analysis , Consumer Rights , User Experience

Etik Beyan

This study was conducted using secondary data obtained from publicly accessible sources. All data analyzed in the research consist of anonymized user reviews voluntarily shared by users on the Trustpilot platform and do not include any personally identifiable information. No direct interaction with individual users was involved, no personal data were collected, and no experimental procedures were conducted on human subjects. Therefore, ethical committee approval was not required for this study. Throughout the research process, principles of data privacy, anonymity, and ethical research conduct were strictly observed.

Ticaret Platformlarında Karanlık Örüntüler: Temu.com’un Uluslararası Bir Analizi

Öz

Karanlık örüntüler olarak bilinen manipülatif arayüz tasarımları, kullanıcıların farkında olmadan kararlarını etkileyebilme yetenekleri nedeniyle dijital ticarette giderek artan bir endişe kaynağı hâline gelmiştir. Bu çalışma, Temu.com platformunda kullanılan karanlık örüntüleri ülkeler arası bir perspektiften incelemektedir. Araştırma, Ağustos 2025 döneminde Trustpilot platformu üzerinden 68 farklı ülkeden toplanan 1.964 adet bir ve iki yıldızlı kullanıcı yorumuna dayanmaktadır. Veriler, Python programlama dili ve Selenium kütüphanesi kullanılarak uygulanan web kazıma (web scraping) yöntemiyle elde edilmiştir. Yarı otomatik anahtar kelime taraması, manuel kodlama ve istatistiksel analizleri bir araya getiren nicel içerik analizi kapsamında, en fazla yoruma sahip 20 ülkeye odaklanılmıştır (n = 1.826). Bulgular, karanlık örüntülerin hem yaygınlığı hem de tür dağılımı açısından ülkeler arasında belirgin farklılıklar bulunduğunu göstermektedir. Birleşik Krallık, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, Kanada, Avustralya ve İrlanda’dan oluşan Anglo-Sakson pazarların, Kıta Avrupası ülkelerine kıyasla anlamlı ölçüde daha yüksek karanlık örüntü oranlarına sahip olduğu görülmektedir; bu durum kültürel ve düzenleyici bağlamların etkisine işaret etmektedir. Yönlendirme (misdirection) en sık karşılaşılan karanlık örüntü türü olarak öne çıkarken, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nde oyunlaştırma, İspanya’da ise confirmshaming gibi ülkeye özgü eğilimler dikkat çekmektedir. Karanlık örüntü içermeyen kullanıcı şikâyetleri ise ağırlıklı olarak teslimat, iade süreçleri ve müşteri hizmetleri gibi operasyonel konular etrafında yoğunlaşmaktadır. İstatistiksel analizler ülkeler arasında anlamlı farklılıklar bulunduğunu ortaya koyarken, yorum sayısı ile karanlık örüntü yaygınlığı arasında anlamlı bir ilişki saptanmamıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Karanlık Örüntüler , E-Ticaret Platformları , Kültürlerarası Analiz , Tüketici Hakları , Kullanıcı Deneyimi

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışma, kamuya açık olarak erişilebilen ikincil veriler kullanılarak yürütülmüştür. Araştırma kapsamında kullanılan tüm veriler, Trustpilot platformunda kullanıcılar tarafından gönüllü olarak paylaşılmış, kişisel kimlik bilgileri içermeyen ve anonim nitelikteki kullanıcı yorumlarından oluşmaktadır. Çalışmada herhangi bir bireysel kullanıcıyla doğrudan etkileşime girilmemiş, kişisel veri toplanmamış ve insan denekler üzerinde deneysel bir uygulama gerçekleştirilmemiştir. Bu nedenle, araştırma etik kurul onayı gerektirmemektedir. Araştırma süreci boyunca veri gizliliği, anonimlik ve etik araştırma ilkelerine titizlikle uyulmuştur.

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