We always want what we can’t have
Published: 04 Sep. 2011, 21:39
We want something more if it is rare or unavailable, so scarcity is often used as a marketing strategy. Some restaurants refuse to accept customers after they run out of the ingredients prepared for the day, but this often causes people to queue up for something they think is rare and therefore valuable. This is the principle behind scarcity marketing. Ko Eun-ju wrote in “Luxury Brand Marketing” that manufacturers need to limit distribution even if there is no shortage of goods in order to make a product seem like an object that is worth the wait.
The most successful example of this strategy is the famous Birkin bag by French luxury fashion house Hermes. The company emphasizes that production of the coveted Birkin bags is extremely limited, and therefore, the bag is not something that people can buy just because they have money. People wanting a Birkin bag often wait at least a year or two before they can buy one. The wait is so long that people have joked that there is a waiting list to get on the waiting list for a Birkin bag.
In reality, however, the bag may not be so scarce. American writer Michael Tonello talks about his experience as a Hermes reseller in his book, “Bringing Home the Birkin.” For a while, the Birkin bag had a “mythical” existence like a phoenix or a unicorn. But one day, he purchased other goods from a Hermes store and was able to land a Birkin without any difficulty. After all, the bag’s scarcity was a marketing strategy. As of August 1, the waiting list for a Birkin bag in Korea contains more than 1,000 people. Those who are eager to pay 12 million won ($11,300) for a bag and put their names on the list may find Tonello’s experience upsetting, as their obsession fuels an advanced marketing tactic by Hermes. They may feel that they were easy prey - and I can’t say they’re entirely incorrect.
*The writer is a culture and sports reporter of the JoongAng Ilbo.
By Ki Sun-min
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)