Copy & Psychology
Scarcity
The quantity-based pressure of limited stock ("Only 12 left in stock"). Real scarcity converts; fabricated scarcity trains customers to distrust everything you say.
Scarcity is the quantity-based counterpart to urgency: it's the "only 7 left" on the PDP, the "selling fast" badge, the "order now before it's gone" in the abandoned cart email. It's one of the most powerful conversion levers when honest — and one of the most damaging when faked.
Real scarcity (low actual inventory, genuinely limited runs, seasonal supply constraints) converts at measurable lifts of 5-15% on PDPs. Fake scarcity ("Only 3 left!" that never changes, the same message on every product) initially converts well, then erodes trust as customers notice the pattern.