Purpose

Applying a middle-range theorizing to premises of signaling theory and the scarcity principle, this study aims to investigate the mechanisms and effects of different patterns of post-stockout disclosures that highlight the limited supply and high quality of a durable good on consumer satisfaction with the shopping experience and purchase intention, mediated by consumer perceived product scarcity.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses are tested with two scenario-based experiments. The first experiment—a between-subjects design—explores the effect of post-stockout disclosures on consumers' perceived scarcity, satisfaction, and purchase intention. The second experiment – a within-subject design – examines the impact of time on consumer responses to stockouts.

Findings

Results indicate that perceived product scarcity mediates the relationship between post-stockout disclosures and consumer outcomes. Specifically, post-stockout disclosures present an indirect positive effect on consumer purchase intention, despite reducing satisfaction beyond the effects of the stockout. These results are consistent when disclosures are sent through multiple channels. Results also show that consumers' perceived scarcity and purchase intention decrease over time while dissatisfaction levels remain the same when stockouts persist.

Practical implications

Even though consumers will be dissatisfied upon experiencing a stockout, specific patterns of post-stockout disclosures can be a valuable strategy for consumer retention and lost sales prevention.

Originality/value

While recent consumer-centric supply chain management literature has investigated mitigation strategies of detrimental consumer response to stockouts, such as “save-the-sale” tactics and price discounts, the mechanisms and effects of different patterns of post-stockouts disclosures highlighting the limited supply and high quality of the product are yet to be investigated.

中文翻译：

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缺货后信息披露对消费者对缺货反应的影响

目的

本研究将中层理论应用于信号理论和稀缺性原理的前提下，旨在研究缺货后披露的不同模式的机制和影响，这些模式强调了耐用品的有限供应和高质量对消费者满意度的影响。购物体验和购买意愿，由消费者感知的产品稀缺性介导。

设计/方法论/途径

这些假设通过两个基于场景的实验进行了检验。第一个实验是受试者间设计，探讨缺货后信息披露对消费者感知稀缺性、满意度和购买意向的影响。第二个实验——受试者内设计——研究了时间对消费者对缺货反应的影响。

发现

结果表明，感知到的产品稀缺性调节了缺货后披露与消费者结果之间的关系。具体来说，缺货后的披露对消费者的购买意愿产生了间接的积极影响，尽管满意度的降低超出了缺货的影响。当通过多个渠道发送披露时，这些结果是一致的。结果还表明，消费者对稀缺性的感知和购买意愿随着时间的推移而降低，而当缺货持续存在时，不满程度保持不变。

实际影响

尽管消费者会对缺货感到不满，但缺货后披露的特定模式可能是保留消费者和预防销售损失的宝贵策略。

原创性/价值

虽然最近以消费者为中心的供应链管理文献研究了消费者对缺货的不利反应的缓解策略，例如“挽救销售”策略和价格折扣，但缺货后披露的不同模式的机制和影响凸显了供应有限产品的质量和质量还有待研究。