It's all in the labeling. Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing Christopher Lee discovered that online shoppers are more likely to purchase an item as a gift if it's labeled a "best-seller." However, people are more likely to buy something for themselves if it's branded "limited edition."

1. LIMITED
EDITION
BEST
SELLER
FOR ME
FOR YOU

3. LIMITED
EDITION

4. BEST
SELLER

5. BACKGROUND

6. SELF OTHER

7. CAMPBELL & GOODSTEIN (2001)
CONSUMPTION
RISK

8. PERFORMANCE
UNCERTAINTY
WILL THEY
LIKE IT?

9. NEED FOR
UNIQUENESS
TIAN, BEARDEN & HUNTER (2001)

10. CONSUMPTION
RISK
NEED FOR
UNIQUENESS
?
DEVAL ET. AL (2013)

11. PRETEST

14. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

15. W.P. CAREY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

16. CARNEIRO & MYLONAKIS (2009)
POLGREEN, CHEN, PENNOCK, & NELSON (2008)
7-10 DAYS
BEFORE CDC

17. CHOI & VARIAN (2012)
PREDICT
CAR SALES

18. MOE & SCHWIEDEL (2011)
INTEREST
IN PRODUCT
CATEGORIES

19. DRUG
INTERACTIONS
WHITE, TATONETTI, SHAH, ALTMAN & HORVITZ (2013)

20. BEST SELLING
LIMITED EDITION

21. BEST SELLING GIFTS
LIMITED EDITION GIFTS

22. STUDY

23. SELF OTHER

24. SCARCITY POPULARITY
“this product is
limited edition”
“75% of people
purchase this…”

25. 2
2
VS
VS
x
POPULARITY SCARCITY

26. SCARCITY
POPULARITYPOPULARITY
SCARCITY

27. You are browsing online to buy a
coffee mug for SELF/OTHER.
Among the top quality options, you
come across one coffee mug. The
product description indicates that
SCARCITY/POPULARITY.

28. 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
SELF OTHER
SCARCITY POPULARITY
ATTITUDE

29. 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
SELF OTHER
SCARCITY POPULARITY
PURCHASE INTENTION

30. POPULARITY
SCARCITY

31. STUDY

32. LIMITED
EDITION
$10

33. LIMITED
EDITION
$25

34. BEST
SELLER
$10

35. BEST
SELLER
$25

36. 2
2
2
VS
VS LIMITED
EDITION
BEST
SELLER
$25VS$10
x
x

37. 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
SELF OTHER
LIMITED EDITION BEST SELLER
PURCHASE INTENTION: $25

38. 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
SELF OTHER
LIMITED EDITION BEST SELLER
PURCHASE INTENTION: $10

39. 0
2
4
6
SELF OTHER
0
2
4
6
SELF OTHER
LIMITED EDITION BEST SELLER
$10$25

40. $25 LIMITED
EDITION
$10 BEST
SELLER

41. DISCUSSION

42. SELF OTHER

43. SELF
OTHER
OTHER
OTHER
SELF
SELF

44. CONSUMPTION
RISK
NEED FOR
UNIQUENESS

45. CONSUMPTION
RISK
NEED FOR
UNIQUENESS
BEST
SELLER
LIMITED
EDITION

51. LIMITED
EDITION
BEST
SELLER
FOR ME
FOR YOU