Ever wonder why people rush to buy the “last item” or jump on a “limited-time offer” even if they hadn’t set out to buy the product? That’s the magic of scarcity marketing.
Scarcity marketing taps into the primal fear of missing out, and it’s one of the most effective psychological tactics used by top eCommerce brands to maximize sales potential.
Here’s how it works: when we see something we want but know it won’t be available forever, we’re more likely to pull the trigger on that purchase right away.
In this article, we’ll break down 7 proven scarcity marketing tactics successful brands use to get customers to act fast. We’ll also explain how you can implement them on your WooCommerce store using Blocksy.
The Psychology Behind Scarcity Marketing
Scarcity marketing works because it taps into fundamental human psychology, specifically our fear of missing out on something we perceive to be valuable.
When consumers think a product is in short supply or won’t be available for purchase much longer, it triggers a sense of urgency in them. This drives them to act quickly.
Let’s look at some of the principles of scarcity marketing and how they come into play:
FOMO aka Fear of Missing Out
People hate missing out on something they think they might want.
This is precisely what makes FOMO an incredibly powerful motivator. It’s the reason why you see people scrambling to grab a product once they see a sign that says “on sale for a limited time” or “only 5 items left”.
The same concept applies to online purchases.
Think about the last time you saw a “Last Chance to Buy” badge on a product. Did you hesitate, or did you immediately add it to your cart? That’s the power of FOMO at work.
Urgency Drives Sales
When you make it clear to prospective customers that time is running out, or stock is limited, they feel the need to take action quickly. A limited-time offer or flash sale signals that the opportunity might never come again.
Flash sales during the holiday season or “24-hour deals” aren’t just buzzwords from marketing books. They’re strategically crafted offers that are designed to drive immediate conversions and generate a significant revenue boost within a limited time frame.
Perceived Value and Exclusivity
Scarcity also elevates a product’s perceived value. When something is in limited supply or only available to select customers (for example, members) it feels more valuable, more exclusive, and more desirable.
The formula is simple: exclusive stuff = cool.
Limited edition sneakers, limited number of concert tickets, or members-only sales aren’t just about the products being sold. They’re about creating an experience that feels rare and elite.
6 Proven Scarcity Marketing Tactics
Now that we understand how scarcity marketing works, let’s look at some of the tactics you can use to boost sales by leveraging the principles we just covered.
1. Limited Time Offers
Limited-time offers are promotions where the deal lasts for a set period. This could be 24 hours or the whole weekend. Limited-time offers trigger urgency in the minds of consumers and push them to make quick purchasing decisions.
Offering time-sensitive discounts or flash sales creates a clear deadline for customers which compels them to buy the product before they miss out. So, instead of delaying the purchase decision, they’re more likely to take action immediately.
Flash sales where products are discounted by 20% for the next 24 hours is a great example of urgency marketing. Customers know if they don’t buy in that timeframe, they’ll miss out on that special offer.
Another way to set up limited time offers is by using a countdown timer. This lets visitors know the time left for a sale or offer to end. You’ve probably seen them on eCommerce stores that run sales or promotional offers.
Countdown timers make deadlines feel real. When shoppers see that the offer ends in a few hours, they’re more likely to browse your catalog and make a purchase decision before time runs out.
Picture this: you offer a 15% discount on a product. But wait, there’s a countdown time visibly ticking down that reads 2 hours and 5 minutes left.
This is a surefire way to get customers to buy quickly.
Actionable tips with Blocksy
You can use Blocksy’s Product Sale Countdown to display a real-time countdown for your limited-time promotions. This encourages people to act on the offer quickly.
You can also customize your store’s homepage or product pages to highlight the promotion’s end date and time to further create a sense of urgency. When visitors land on your site, they’ll be more likely to stick around and make a purchase decision before leaving.
2. Low Stock Alerts
Low-stock alerts let customers know how many units of a product are left. This signals to the customer that the item is in high demand and is about to sell out.
When shoppers see that there are only a few units remaining (e.g. “Only 5 left in stock!”), it triggers FOMO and encourages them to act immediately so the item doesn’t sell out.
If a popular product is down to its last few items, displaying an “Only 3 items left!” alert creates urgency and can nudge customers into making a purchase right away.
Actionable tips with Blocksy
You can use Blocksy’s Stock Scarcity module to show real-time stock counts on single product pages. Customize the message to say something like “Hurry, only X items left!” to reinforce urgency.
3. Flash Sales
Flash sales are short-term events offering deep discounts on select items. Generally speaking, flash sales last only a few hours or for a day.
Flash sales create a sense of urgency by offering products at a significantly discounted price for a limited time. The limited sale window prompts customers to act quickly so they can grab the deal before it’s gone.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are often set up as flash sales where specific items are heavily discounted for a day. Shoppers spent a record $10.8 billion online on Black Friday 2024, marking a 10% increase compared to last year’s Black Friday.
Actionable tips with Blocksy
To set up flash sales in WooCommerce, you can use Blocksy’s Product Sale Countdown on your sale page. Highlight the flash sale items and create urgency with limited-time pricing.
You can also use the Product Variations Gallery and Custom Tabs modules to create exclusive bundles. For example, you can set up a “Buy 2, Get 1 Free – Only 30 sets left!” offer to encourage customers to buy more from your store.
This tactic leverages the urgency of limited availability with the appeal of a “buy more, save more” offer. It’s also an effective way to increase the average order value.
4. Exclusive or Members-Only Access
Exclusivity is a powerful motivator. Offering early access or special pricing to members or subscribers makes customers feel special and like they’re part of a community.
You can limit access to certain products or sales you run to increase their perceived value. People are more likely to buy when they feel like they have insider access to something that not everyone can buy.
In practical terms, you might consider offering an early bird sale for everyone who’s subscribed to your email newsletter. You can also create members-only access to special discounts on products.
Actionable tips with Blocksy
You can use a membership plugin with Blocksy to offer exclusive deals to registered members.
Create a landing page for early access to special deals or products, and promote it through your email newsletter.
You can also use Blocksy’s Wishlist and Waitlist modules to offer scarcity-based rewards to loyal customers. Let’s say you sell sneakers. You can offer customers the chance to join a waitlist one month before the drop for early access when the product is available. You can put out a message like: “As a valued customer, get 24-hour exclusive access to purchase sneakers from our latest drop before they go live to the public.”
Similarly, customers who have added products to their wishlists can be sent personalized notifications when items are about to go out of stock so they have an opportunity to buy before it’s too late.
Bonus: You can use Blocksy’s Newsletter Subscribe module to embed a signup form on your WooCommerce store easily.
5. Social Proof
Social proof is the idea that people are more likely to purchase when they see others doing the same. You might have done this at some point without realizing it.
One way to offer social proof is by highlighting the number of recent buyers or showing testimonials or reviews to influence customers to buy.
You might have seen messages like “20 people bought this in the last hour” or a “Bestseller!” tag on product pages. These are both examples of social proof.
Actionable tips with Blocksy
Add social proof elements like customer reviews or recent purchase notifications on your product pages to encourage visitors to buy from your store.
Blocksy’s Advanced Product Reviews let users add photos to their reviews, rate reviews from other customers, and more.
6. Waitlists
Waitlists allow customers to sign up for notifications when a product is back in stock or available for purchase. They allow customers to reserve their spot for a product they don’t want to miss. This is a great way to create anticipation and a sense of exclusivity.
There are two main ways you can use waitlists:
- You can set up a waitlist for a popular product that’s currently out of stock. Encourage customers to sign up for a waitlist so they can get exclusive early access when the item returns.
- You can also set up a waitlist for a product that’s about to launch. Prompt visitors to sign up for the waitlist so they can be notified directly in their inbox when the product is available for purchase.
Actionable tips with Blocksy
Use Blocksy’s Waitlist feature to let customers sign up for out-of-stock items or products you’re about to launch. Notify waitlisted users via email when the product is available.
Conclusion
Scarcity marketing is a powerful tool that can skyrocket your sales by creating FOMO, urgency, and exclusivity. By leveraging tactics like limited-time offers, low-stock alerts, and flash sales, you can drive faster purchasing decisions, increase conversions, and grow your bottom line.
We shared some actionable tips on how you can seamlessly integrate scarcity marketing strategies using Blocksy. Hopefully, you’re in a good position now to take the next steps.
