Scarcity... Just how far do you go? (Hurry, 3 days and this closes... haha kiddin!)

Lol, I don't think people believe in that B.S anymore, there are sales pages out there that say the page will be taken down in 24 hours, and 5 years later they are still up

I think dime sales are more affective nowadays, people hurry to get a lower price.

Scarcity works. The length of time depends - but beyond a few days is too long. Most importantly you don't want to breach trust - do what you say you are going to do and take down the page or close the deal when you say you are going to do it.

Scarcity is just one of the 6 weapons of influence - for anyone who doesn't believe it still works read Dr. Cialdini's book on Influence - its not based on anecdotal info its based on research.

I saw a sales page after a webinar replay that said there was only 1 copy left, started at 15 after the original webinar had been hosted.

A whole 14 copies have been sold, from the fully booked webinar, over the space of a few days?

No @intergen, I didn't know you was talking about the same book... and post count? Why would I care about that?

Anyway, my bad. Let's stick on topic

I'm worn out with scarcity.

If the product is brilliant it will sell. Anytime. If you tell me I can only order within a limited time then I know it is BS. I click away.

KenJ

I suspect you're slightly confusing "urgency" and "scarcity", Craig. (I see that there is some overlap between the two).

Actually, to be honest, I suspect you're slightly confusing "fake urgency" and "fake scarcity".

Urgency = "This product is available for its last two weeks and will then be replaced by <something different> at <higher cost>";
Fake urgency = "This is only on sale for another week <no reason/justification given>";
Scarcity = "This niche information is based partly on its being non-competitive and for this reason, only 25 copies of it will ever be sold";
Fake scarcity = "Only another 9 copies of this e-book left" (this is probably the worst and most damaging of the lot, and the one that the highest number of potential customers see through, and know that the vendor's trying to deceive them).

I think that most of the ways that most marketers try to do these things (partly reinforced by another group of marketers who are pretending to be copywriters - real copywriters know better!) have no strength to start with and actually damage their businesses, and that they'd learn this if only they tested it properly rather than assuming, as so many do, "this must work otherwise everyone wouldn't be doing it". :p :rolleyes:

As an affiliate, I won't send my traffic to sales pages with fraudulent misrepresentations like "only 17 copies remaining" on them (with the number unchanged for three months while the gravity jumps up and down!), because my subscribers/visitors/traffic know perfectly well (a) that those vendors are liars, and (b) that I know they're liars, too. That would be a real lose/lose for me, however you look at it. And as someone who needs to make a living from this, that's obviously something I have to reject on sight.

There are such things as genuine urgency and genuine scarcity, but they're rarer. Much rarer.

It's something with which one needs to be very careful.

I think if you say "Going on Sale for x number of days" and after that it will return to x price may be a little more motivating than the scarcity thing. I know that scarcity works, but at some point you have make sure that you are still operating your business with integrity. People are always looking for a good deal and if your product is packaged well, it will sell.

Marketers tend to do what they see others do and believe that it will work. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. It all depends on the individual on the other side of the computer looking to purchase. But, I must say it's a good thought Craig.

As far as scarcity is concerned, limiting the number of
copies you sell works much better than a time limit.

With a time limit the prospect can always gauge just
when to buy but with an item limit there is no way to
judge when all will be sold out.

-Ray Edwards

At what point is it do you lose your credibility using scarcity. I personally have dropped 4 mailing list in the last few days because frankly Im sick of seeing "Act now or miss out" and then getting emails saying "In case you missed out, only 24 hours left" or the link still working days after ect.

If your going to use scarcity use it wisely and truthfully. Come to find out I'm not the only person who feels this way.

And yes it might be Marketing 101 , but I also believe that gaining (and keeping) the customers trust is Marketing 101 also.

When Walmart says they have a sale and it ends on said date, guess what? It ends

Say what you mean and mean what you say. You really have to make something scarce...not just pretend that it is scarce. This is especially paramount in the digital realm.

Too often, people will use scarcity the wrong way. They'll say that they're going to raise the price...but they don't. They'll say that they'll only sell 1000 copies...but they won't. They'll say you only have 24 hours left...but you have all the time in the world.

You have to make good on what you say. For example, I have a WSO coming soon and it'll be offered at a 400% discount for only 1000 buyers. After that, it's pulled from the market. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Cut and dry.

If you don't follow through with your word, then you will lose in this game very quickly.