The Issue: Cialdini discusses the scarcity principle: the idea that people are attracted to items/opportunities/etc. that are less available whether there was an initial high level of interest or not.
Major Strength: From the very start, Cialdini’s examples resonate with readers (or likely do), as so many people surely identify with the ideas he brings forward. His description of the scarcity principle throughout the chapter and in different scenarios made it something that is easily recognizable within everyday life. The assumption the general public makes that less is more/better is certainly a common belief, yet simple idea. The ideas presented in the chapter really make me want to be more mindful of how approach decisions and recognize the use of scarcity as an attempt to lure me into a purchase. I have to admit, I have been victim of this tactic, so the presentation of these relatively commonsense ideas gives me more incentive to not be the sucker that so many are aim for. I also feel a strength of Cialdini’s presentation of the principle is impactful because he touches on how it is seen in other aspects of life such as the parenting model and description of the terrible twos and teenage years.
Major Weakness: It’s difficult to pinpoint a weakness because I think Cialdini’s goal was to touch on many different areas related to the principle. So in that, I think the weakness is the lack of depth on some of the topics discussed. I consider my own experiences within Yahoo! Sports/Rivals.com where we base our business on subscriptions. We used the scarcity principle by often labeling information as “exclusive” in the headlines or used phrases such as “expert analysis you can’t find anywhere else” or even “THE source for school X news.” With social media being so prevalent these catch phrases have lost some impact, so I would have liked to have seen a more in-depth breakdown of the usage in business of these tactics and how customers are impacted over longterm periods by the principle.
Underlying Assumption: The underlying assumption is that most people fall victim to the principle that we have progressively wired ourselves to believe less means better, fewer opportunities mean you only get one chance at something, etc. The assumption is almost to the point that we are a gullible society.
Provocative Questions: Where is the line drawn when it comes to ethical practices in business? Can it be viewed as anything but unethical?
How long before customers catch on and realize your approach is based on scarcity and a play on emotions? Does it leave you with a bigger PR issue down the road that in the end makes the approach not worth it?