The Pocket Universal Principles of Design

121 Scarcity

Things become more desirable when they are in short supply or occur infrequently.

• Scarce items are more valued than plentiful items.

• Scarcity motivates people to act.

• Apply the principle through: exclusivity, limited access, limited time, limited number, and surprise.

• The principle holds across the spectrum of human behavior, from mate attraction to marketing to tactics of negotiation.

• The effect is strongest when the desired object or opportunity is highly unique, and not easily obtained or approximated by other means.

• Consider scarcity when designing advertising and promotional initiatives, especially when the objective is to move people to action.

See Also Expectation Effect • Framing • Veblen Effect

The Running ...