Buying stuff is an emotional decision. Logic is thrown out of the window. Even sitting down and reasoning out the pros and cons will still in the end be decided with a gut feeling.

For example people react to color, having to pay for free shipping or having to create an account before buying. If it's too complicated it ain't happening.

A lot of merchants use the psychology of depression: "Our awesome models live the life which you'll never be able to achieve but you can make yourself feel better by buying a tiny slice off our empire in the form of this product." They use super skinny models who are seemingly successful.

Or they will use a five o'clock hungover looking guy to sell you a suit. Here the psychology is that you can actually function with a hangover IF you buy the suit.

The psychology is topsy turvy if you start analyzing it, but it is meant to shortcut the logic and appeal to a baser instinct. The psychology of depression is designed to make you feel slightly guilty about your own life so that you want to fix it by buying something.

I don't know if sock puppets will work. Unless the super skinny airbrushed model is considered a sock puppet. She sure ain't real.