Scarcity effects are a pervasive phenomenon in our world.
From material resources to opportunities, we all crave more, and scarcity often makes us feel anxious and uneasy.
In order to overcome this uneasiness, we are constantly striving for more, trying to fill the "hole" in our hearts that can never be filled.
Scarcity, like an invisible and powerful force, not only affects the distribution of resources, but also invisibly affects our psychology and behavior.
And, sometimes you'll find that it can be hard to convince others, but subtly introducing a touch of competition can spark a deep desire and passion.
This is precisely because the fear and pursuit of scarcity have long been deeply imprinted in our genes. Next, let's take a look at the mystery behind this psychological phenomenon.
scarcity effect" or "scarcity principle". This psychological phenomenon refers to the fact that when something becomes scarce or perceived to be scarce, people tend to assign it a higher value. This effect can be seen in a variety of fields, including economics, marketing, sociology, and more.
To put it simply, the less opportunities we have to acquire something, the more prominent its value will be, and this psychology of "the fewer opportunities, the higher the value" is the so-called "scarcity effect".
For example, merchants often use limited-time discounts or ** to stimulate consumers to buy. When customers know that time is limited, they may make a purchase decision sooner because they are worried about missing out on the opportunity.
When brands launch limited-edition products, they tend to attract a large number of consumers to buy them. Just like this strategy used by Apple when it came to market its smart devices, these products are limited in number to increase their uniqueness and attractiveness.
Also, in auctions, as the auction time draws to a close, bidders may increase their bids because they don't want to miss out on the lot. This "last-minute bidding" behavior is driven in part by the scarcity effect.
It can be said that the scarcity effect affects us all the time, but the scarcity effect is not always rational. Sometimes, people can overestimate the actual value of something because of its scarcity. In addition, merchants and marketers often use this psychological phenomenon to influence consumers' purchasing decisions.
Savvy merchants take advantage of the "scarcity effect", and there is a marketing model called "hunger marketing": by adjusting the quantity at both ends of supply and demand, artificially creating scarcity and creating the illusion of hot sales in short supply, so as to increase consumer desire and product awareness.
This strategy is often used for limited-edition items, newly released products, or popular items to make consumers feel like they might be missing out if they don't buy sooner.
In hunger marketing, merchants usually release the first amount gradually to maintain consumers' continued attention and interest in the product. This strategy helps to increase the visibility and demand for the product, and sometimes even increases the selling price of the product.
However, hunger marketing has also received some criticism. Some consumers see this as an unethical marketing ploy because it can lead to a real shortage of demand, or create an excessive desire for a product in consumers.
Additionally, if hunger marketing tactics are used excessively, consumers may feel bored or disappointed, affecting the brand's reputation and long-term loyalty.
So, while hunger marketing may be effective in some cases, its success depends on a variety of factors, including brand reputation, product quality, market demand, and consumer expectations.
For merchants, the proper use of hunger marketing requires precise judgment and appropriate control to ensure that it does not unduly damage the interests of consumers or the long-term value of the brand.
Speaking of which, I believe most readers can recall that they have been tricked into this kind of "hunger marketing" routine many times.
In fact, by the same token, many times, if you want people to be interested in something, you don't have to try to convince them, you just need to create a competitor for them.
After all, the fear of "scarcity" is an innate instinct in human beings.
This fear drives people to pursue those that are scarce in order to avoid losing possible benefits or opportunities.
"Scarcity" and "competition" are at the heart of exerting influence. Scarcity refers to the finite nature of resources, i.e., the quantity or amount of something is finite, so people need to put in more effort to get it. Competition, on the other hand, is the act of competition for the acquisition of such scarce things.
When people realize that something has become scarce, they may feel anxious and upset because it means that they may lose the opportunity to get it. This anxiety and insecurity motivates people to pay more attention to and pursue this kind of thing to avoid losing it.
Therefore, creating an atmosphere of competition can spark interest and attention in something and make them more actively involved.
However, the negative effect of scarcity is that it can become a kind of psychological oppression, which can make people lose their objective judgment of things. Start paying a huge price for things you don't need only because they become scarce. This psychological phenomenon manifests itself in many ways.
Research shows that when people are faced with low-resource situations, they tend to become more goal-oriented and focused on meeting their basic needs. This focus allows us to be more effective in pressing situations.
However, this focus also brings "loss". The scarcity mindset can lead us to a voyeuristic view of what is within a narrow range and ignore the broader view.
For example, when it comes to money, the "poor" may be more focused on immediate benefits than long-term investments; When it comes to time, "busy" people may neglect relationships with family and friends.
Similarly, scarcity can become a psychological oppression at work. For example, when a position becomes vacant, many people will compete for the position.
They may neglect their career plans and goals just because they feel that this opportunity is rare. However, in the process of competing, it is easy to lose sight of our own values and long-term goals.
Therefore, when facing the scarcity in life and work, you must maintain a rational and calm attitude, be clear about your needs and values, and consider various factors. In this way, you can better balance your life and decision-making, and avoid too many negative effects caused by the pursuit of scarcity.
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