Or, you know, it is actually preferable for rational reasons, rather than an indicator that your brain has been hacked. You go to the store and the price you see is the price you pay (well, those of us not stuck in a sales tax state), so it's nice to be able to shop the same way online. I know the shipping is baked in, but I don't have to factor it in separately. I just shop by price.
- If you return the item you will be refunded the total purchase price instead of the price of the item sans shipping.
- You know how much it will actually cost to own the item when its in your cart instead of hiding the cost until the last second when you've already committed.
Yes, this is why these tactics work. The human brain is being hacked by shady practices.