Week 6

  Antoher persuasion technique uses scarcity to sell an item. Ads that read "for a limited time only" or "while supplies last" are perfect examples of the scarcity technique. Both examples are limiting the purchase either by time or by supply.
  Aristotle said "What is rare is a greater good than what is plentiful and what is rare will cost an extra penny. According to the book Social Psyclology and human nature, an one-of-a-kind Elvis suit was sold for $145,000. Collectors also use this technique to sell goods within categories. Because collectables are only sold for a limited time, people who collect like to have sets and will pay more money for speciality items. They hope that by completing a set, they will be reimbursed in the long run. Of course some people collect only because they like to look at the items they are collecting.
  The scarcity technique works well to sell items not only because it uses the basic business principle of supply and demand, but also because people want to feel special. People who are from individualistic societies fall prey to the technique sooner than cultures who value family or group units.
  The ad below uses the scarcity technique but uses a human emotion to draw females into the ad. As Americans we try to be individualistic, but as humans we have a natural urge to want to fit in. This ad blends both in a seductive way. It wants to pull you in, but at the same time, set you apart.