😡Artificial Scarcity

Nothing digital is limited, don't be a 🍆

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Introduction

Predatory practice ... always

Limited digital goods are one of the most blatantly manipulative yet commonly accepted predatory practices around. They have been around for a very long time and are widely used by major companies.

So why is this bad?

Making something "exclusive" or limited by time, quantity or anything else is simply the a form of FOMO. A portion of the consumer base will purchase not because they want it, not because the feel its a good value but because they don't want to miss out on the opportunity. Most of the user's who purchased out of fear will have buyers remorse and will be over all more negative toward your product and future products and towards you and your community/fan base.

This is made even more problematic when you then turn around and release the same item with a different name or maybe even as much as a "reskin" down the road as free or paid content else where. Now you have made a portion of your user base feel like suckers and they will become openly hostile toward you, your products and your community. This is not a matter of opinion its easily observed in multiple current real world cases. It is a highly anti-consumer and the consumer is your community, so this is harmful to your single most important resource ... your community.

Why do the pros use it?

It is highly effective, or it has been so far and is very easy to implement. This is a manipulation based on the very fundamentals of supply and demand. If you reduce the supply, or at least make the user feel the supply is reduced, then you will see a higher demand. Exclusives, limited time offers and limited quantity deals are nothing more than artificial scarcity.