Maybe you recognise it. That feeling of 'I'm going to buy now' otherwise I'll be too late. Our brains seem to think, 'If there's so little of it left, I must have it!' Why is it that it works this way? We explain scarcity as Cialdini's persuasion principle to you below.
We want to be unique
Seen from biology, the scarcity principle can be traced back to a kind of survival instinct. Just look at food. When there is a lot, we quickly overeat and start hoarding at the Albert Heijn supermarket. Then we have something for when there is less food available. It's a strong principle, which over the years is increasingly hitting commerce.
In addition, as human beings we like to be unique. Having unique things says something about how (unique) you are yourself. We all have a need to belong to a group, but at the same time we find it important to emphasise our own self. The best man Maslow said some sensible things about this: the higher you get in his pyramid, the more important it is to put yourself down as a unique person. The scarcity principle plays into this. When something is scarce, we seem to want it (even) more than when something is in abundance.
Example: black pearls
Tahitian black pearls did not sell too well. They didn't fit the fashion image and people didn't think they were that beautiful. Now that people are told how unique the pearl is, rare and difficult to cultivate, sales are suddenly booming. The price of 1 pearl is between 75 and 6000 euros and a black pearl necklace can go up to 35,000 euros.
So much for the how-to side of the scarcity principle. But what can you actually do with it? If you understand the principle, you can use it to convince other people. On your site, for instance, of your products or ideas. There are many companies that already do this.
Example: Booking.com
On the Booking.com site the scarcity principle is cleverly applied. "Only 4 left available" "Last chance!" and "Sold out!". You'd better book fast.
Tips for your site
Applying the scarcity principle to your site yourself? Here are a few tips.
Emphasise the uniqueness of your product (the black pearl is grown only in Tahiti, from the famous black oyster).
State on your website the number of products left (and then not 9,876 or something, but only if there are really few).
Make a special offer for a certain time (between 12.00 and 15.00 you get 20% off!).
Make something available for a certain group (think Holland's Casino Ladies Night Out).
Win-win situation for you and your visitor
So if you apply the scarcity principle properly, you can create a win-win situation. A win for both you as a company and the visitor to your site. Of course, the key is to remain honest. Deceiving someone may yield some short-term results, as with all persuasion principles of Cialdini, honesty and trust ensure long-term success.
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