A similar study of merlot wines found 49 per cent of consumers would buy a bottle if they had one choice, but when they thought a similar wine had sold out next to it on the shelf, nearly twice the number of shoppers would take home the available bottle. “The use of sold-out signs creates a sense of urgency,” said Messinger. The annual phenomenon of a hot toy selling out at Christmas can also be attributed to the information cascade theory, he said.
Sold-out Products Influence Consumer Choice
