It’s 10 a.m. A favorite brand launches its newest product, and within minutes, it sells out. For students who have been waiting and saving money for the item, missing out can be disappointing and frustrating.
Freshman Haleigh Beane said she feels disappointed when an item she wants sells out on the same day it is released because the brand did not have enough items available. However, she is willing to search other stores and websites to see if she can find the item somewhere else.
Beane believes brands should do more to prevent popular products from selling out immediately. She said companies could produce more of an item or find a better way to predict how many people will want it before it is released.
“Companies generally consider the additional revenue they can make from selling another product compared with the additional cost of producing it. Companies increase production as long as the additional revenue is greater than the additional cost,” Economics teacher Cierra Young said.
However, producing more products is not always a company’s goal.
Freshman Lillie Pepper said she would rather wait for an item she really wants instead of spending her money on something else. If she has been wanting something for a long time, she said waiting for it to come back in stock is worth it.
Pepper believes brands could do more research before releasing popular products. One idea she suggested is using polls on social media to determine how many people are interested in an item before it launches. She said this could help companies understand how many people want an item and prepare enough products.
According to Young, companies may intentionally limit production to keep prices higher or create a sense of exclusivity. Limited releases can also be a marketing strategy because they create excitement and urgency around a product.
Limited releases are often used for products such as sneakers, collectibles, gaming consoles and special-edition merchandise. Resellers can add another challenge for students who are trying to purchase popular products, especially when those products are sold for higher prices.
“You’re ruining the chances for other people who have waited for a long time to save their money to get that item,” Beane said.
“Resellers can make hard-to-find products available to consumers, but they may also charge higher prices, especially when an item is limited and in high demand. When demand is high and supply remains limited, prices tend to rise,” Young said.
Pepper also said she sometimes looks for someone reselling an item when it sells out, but she does not agree with people charging high prices because an item is popular.
“I hate when people do that because it’s not worth all of that,” Pepper said.
For sophomore Amariah Kelland, missing out on an item she really wanted can be disappointing because she did not get a chance to buy it before it sold out. Instead of immediately buying something else, she searches other websites to see if another store has the item. If she cannot find it anywhere else, she either waits for the item to return or looks for something else.
As popular products continue to attract attention, students may find themselves deciding whether to wait for a restock, search other stores or pay a higher price through a reseller. For consumers, a sold-out product can be more than a missed purchase. It can also be a real-world example of how supply, demand and pricing affect the products people want to buy.
