Selling Scarcity
One of the most used selling and advertising techniques I see is selling scarcity. It can appear in big messages like “Only now” or “Out of stock,” as well as in smaller, more subtle ones.
I took this photo a year ago on my way to work. This particular ad made me quite annoyed. For one, because by stating to ‘seize the moment’, the ad is selling scarcity: the fleetingness of time. Which is well known to give people anxious feelings.
And for two, the solution they provide for capturing this ever‑passing, valuable time is shopping in some stupid sale.
It might not seem that deep for most people, but we underestimate how many of these scarcity messages we are surrounded by every day. Scarcity is, according to Google, “the state of being scarce or in short supply.” Scarce means “insufficient for the demand.” Basically, there is not enough. There are a bunch of studies that state we feel, more than ever, like we don’t have enough time. No wonder we are prone to the invisible demands from messaging like this.
Scarcity creates desire in humans as a primal survival shortcut. The scarcity effect makes things seem rare, and therefore valuable, and even creates a sense of urgency around them. These kinds of messages help create demand.
If you want a short YouTube video about it, here’s a nice link!
But in the fast‑fashion industry, this scarcity is far from a reality. With enough clothes produced for the next seven generations.
The only thing there isn’t enough of is: demand for everything that is already produced.
Maybe it’s because I’ve studied marketing, or just have an interest in it, but I see these kinds of messages all around us. Either real scarcity messages, stating there’s not enough, or tricks where companies make things seem more in demand than they are.
Some hard‑wired primal survival instincts can be difficult to change. I think the fairest shot we have is to recognize when it happens, and how it makes us feel.
Do you see the scarcity message in advertisements around you? And what does it provoke in you?
This might be an unpopular opinion, but if I have to agree on one thing with this ad, it’s that I do believe we only have a limited amount of time and should seize the moment. But therefore I feel even stronger that I’d rather not spend my valuable time chasing deals or buying things I don’t need.
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