Alarming Vocabulary

A free game on the PlayStation Network results in an email that makes me worried I may be a victim of identity theft.

Problems:

• I didn’t buy anything, but the subject line and header of the email thank me for my purchase.

• This is scary: did someone steal my credit card and they’re buying games now?

• “Store transaction” is very vague and doesn’t assuage my fears.

• Worried until I get to the price.

Solutions:

• Focusing on the free game is positive.

• Naming the game in the subject line tells me what the email is about at a glance.

• Adding a game to my library is much more descriptive of the action I took, and doesn’t make me worried that I might have purchased something.

• Prompting me to download and play the game encourages further engagement.

Vague vocabulary is often confusing and sometimes worrying

The PlayStation Store treats free downloads and purchases as the same. This must work for their backend, but calling them the same thing in an email to users is confusing.

Instead of being vague, be specific. Specificity keeps communication cogent. Users don’t like feeling confused, especially when their credit card information is involved.