Effects Of Online Scarce Promotion On Consumer Impulse Buying Intent

The impulse buying is more prevalent under the online environment, and the scarcity appeal in the promotion has been one of the most important marketing stimulus.Based on the existing research, we try to explain the impact of the scarcity appeal types(namely the time limit and quantitative restrictions)on consumer online impulse buying,and to explore the boundaries of the influence, we examine differences in the impact of message framing and scarcity appeal types in the advertisements on consumers with varying levels of need for closed cognition(NFCC).Experimental design method mainly uses scenarios that allow the subjects to imagine themselves in a virtual scene to purchase.Results from two experimental studies support a two-way message framing ×scarcity interaction, under the loss frame participants show a greater impact of quantity(versus time) scarcity appeal on their impulse buying intentions,whereas under the gain frame,there are no difference between the types of scarcity appeal. In addition, we found support for a three-way NFCC× message framing ×scarcity interaction, which shows that,under both gain and loss frames, participants with lower levels of NFCC show no difference between two types of scarcity appeal; whereas under the loss frame,participants with higher levels of NFCC prefer quantity over time appeal. We discuss the conceptual contribution and managerial implications of these findings.