Scarcity of goods as a marketing strategy

This thesis focuses on scarcity as a marketing strategy influencing consumer behavior. The aim of the research was to determine whether and how Czech consumers respond to scarcity strategy when shopping in physical retail stores. The study was conducted using eye-tracking measurement and complemented with a structured questionnaire. Respondents chose between pairs of products with varying levels of availability and evaluated them in terms of expected quality, perceived popularity, and purchase intention. The results showed that the scarcity strategy significantly influences all of these selected attributes. However, the effect on visual attention was opposite—respondents focused more frequently on non-scarce products. Additional analysis revealed differences in the effectiveness of scarcity based on product type (hedonic or utilitarian), gender, and packaging design. The findings may serve as valuable input for developing effective marketing strategies in the areas of merchandising and retail design.