Title
An Empirical Analysis of Scarcity Strategies in the Automobile Industry
Abbreviated Journal Title
Manage. Sci.
Keywords
marketing; new products; competitive strategy; signaling; econometrics; aggregate logit models; economic theory testing; PRICING BEHAVIOR; PRODUCT QUALITY; DEMAND; PRICES; MARKET; Management; Operations Research & Management Science
Abstract
Recent product introductions such as the Xbox 360, Sony Playstation 2, and PT Cruiser have been characterized by shortage of these products. Some experts have suggested that such scarcity can be a deliberate strategy for making the product more desirable. In this paper, we empirically examine the relationship between introductory inventory levels and consumer preference in the U. S. automobile industry and show that relative scarcity of a car at the time of introduction is associated with higher consumer preference for the product. Furthermore, we perform an empirical test of alternative theories about the rationale for introductory product scarcity. Specifically, we consider two theories of supplier-induced scarcity, namely the buying frenzy theory and the signaling theory, and an alternative theory that suggests that demand uncertainty causes introductory product scarcity. We find more support for the signaling theory of supplier-induced scarcity than the buying frenzy theory or the demand uncertainty theory in our analysis of the automobile market.
Journal Title
Management Science
Volume
55
Issue/Number
10
Publication Date
1-1-2009
Document Type
Article
Language
English
First Page
1623
Last Page
1637
WOS Identifier
ISSN
0025-1909
Recommended Citation
"An Empirical Analysis of Scarcity Strategies in the Automobile Industry" (2009). Faculty Bibliography 2000s. 1299.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/1299
Comments
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