The impact of scarcity cues on purchase likelihood of art-infused products

Scarcity cues are increasingly being employed as marketing tactics. However, it remains unclear whether and how supply-led and demand-led scarcity cues differentially affect purchase decisions for art-infused products. Building on the literatures of scarcity and the art infusion effect, the present research shows that supply-led scarcity cues enhance consumers’ likelihood of purchasing art-infused products, while demand-led scarcity cues work better for their non-art counterparts. Perceived prestige and perceived risk, respectively, underlie these effects. Further, regulatory focus and social visibility moderate the effects. The empirical investigation comprises eight studies—in field, lab, and online settings. The findings of this research extend theoretical insights in the literature on scarcity and the art infusion effect and provide relevant managerial implications.