Enticing Scarcity

I am the kind of consumer that is hopelessly confused by an excess of choice. Confused to the point where I feel relieved if a restaurant has a sampling platter so I won't need to select from a never-ending menu. When people of my stripe go out shopping their indecision renders then incapable of making a purchase. We consider our options carefully to be sure that we don't suffer buyer's regret. Less may be more for us and it seems like a winning formula for one successful clothing retailer.

In Zara stores, customers can always find new products—but they're in limited supply. There is a sense of tantalizing exclusivity, since only a few items are on display even though stores are spacious (the average size is around 1,000 square meters). A customer thinks, "This green shirt fits me, and there is one on the rack. If I don't buy it now, I'll lose my chance."

Up until the mall culture came to India, shopping was about being at the right place and the right time and being able to beat the competition. I remember going out shopping for clothes before Diwali, elbowing my way through the milling crowds to reach the store front. I had spotted an outfit the exact shade of magenta I adored as had a bunch of others. Whoever got the shopkeeper's attention first would be able to stake their claim on it.

More often that not that would be the only one outfit of its kind the store had and you would find something like it elsewhere. In the lack of abundance there was incentive for the shopper to make a snap decision to buy. To have five people waiting with baited breath for me to say "No" so they could grab it is a very strong driver to say "Yes". Though shopping was much harder in those days, I atleast ended up buying something. Or rather was forced into making a decision instead of dithering. While I have not been to a Zara store, the idea is very familiar and appealing.