Imagine your favourite product is out of stock.
- Do you want it even more because it’s not available?
- Or do you get annoyed at the shop for poor stock management?
Research shows both reactions are common but they come from different types of customers.
👉 High-reactance customers (those who dislike restrictions) often increase their desire for the unavailable product. When it finally comes back, they “reward” the firm with higher product ratings, stronger store satisfaction, and greater loyalty.
👉 Low-reactance customers react the opposite way. For them, stock outages trigger frustration with the business and that resentment sticks around.
How to tell the difference?
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High-reactance customers push back on rules, value autonomy, and are quick to seek alternatives if choice feels restricted. They dislike “because we said so” explanations, but respond well when scarcity signals desirability.
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Low-reactance customers are easy-going when things run smoothly, but when you’re out of stock they’ll get very annoyed with you.
If you do run out of stock, restoring supply isn’t enough. You need to tell the right story. Customers are far more forgiving if they believe the shortage was demand-driven (“sold out!”) rather than poor planning (“we didn’t order enough”).
Ref: Moore S. & Gavan J. Fitzsimons (2014) Yes, we have no bananas: Consumer responses to restoration of freedom. doi:10.1016/J.JCPS.2014.04.001
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