The systems that rely on our forgetfulness
(updated July 2026)
The most effective commercial systems do not always hide their rules. Sometimes, everything is written down. They only rely on the fact that no one will take the time to read, understand, or remember.
This is what struck me with JustFab. The entry offer seemed simple: a first pair at a reduced price. Behind that, the account became a monthly subscription. Every month, one had to think about indicating that they did not wish to buy anything, otherwise a sum was transformed into credit on the site.
The mechanism was nothing secret. It rested on forgetfulness.
Forgetting to click. Forgetting to check your statement. Forgetting that the discount on the first purchase had a counterpart. A few very attentive people could use the system without problems. Others ended up paying because their inattention was part of the business model.
I found something similar in some meetings about Herbalife products. The product was not always the starting point. People came for a workout session because a friend had suggested it, because the atmosphere was friendly, or because the entry seemed free. Then came the products, the advice, and sometimes the offer to become a seller themselves.
Again, trust was central. Not just trust in a brand, but the trust given to a close person. A commercial offer presented by a friend looks less like a sale, even when it is one.
This is probably why these systems are difficult to criticize without offending someone. The person who invites you is not necessarily trying to trap you. They often sincerely believe what they offer. They may even have an interest in believing it, because they have already invested time, money, or a part of their identity in the system.
In retrospect, the common thread was not really the shoes, the food supplement, or the subscription. It was a mechanism built around small, ordinary weaknesses: forgetfulness, guilt, trust, the desire to get a good deal, and the difficulty in recognizing that one has been taken advantage of.
We often imagine a scam as an obvious lie, with a fake site, a fake seller, and fake documents. But some models do not need to lie directly.
They just need to make the entry very simple, the exit more complicated, and then wait.