The present research explores how the proportion of sold-out options in the choice set affects consumer purchase choices. Across five experiments, we find an inverted U-shaped relationship between the proportion of sold-out options in a choice set and consumer purchase choices. Fueling this effect are two competing processes: presence of sold-out options signals the overall quality of products in the choice set, which prompts consumers to purchase available options; while it also evokes psychological reactance, which impedes purchases. The quality signaling effect features a concave shape, whereas the psychological reactance force takes on a convex shape, so in combination, these two forces form an inverted U-shaped relationship. In addition, two boundary conditions were identified: (1) this effect is obtained only when psychological reactance is not induced by other situational factors; and (2) this effect disappears when consumers make purchases for others, not when they make purchases for themselves.

本研究探讨了选择集中售罄选项的比例如何影响消费者的购买选择。在五个实验中，我们发现选择集中售罄选项的比例与消费者购买选择之间存在倒 U 形关系。助长这种效应的是两个相互竞争的过程：售罄选项的存在标志着选择集中产品的整体质量，这促使消费者购买可用的选项；同时它也会引起心理反应，从而阻碍购买。质量信号效应呈凹形，而心理反作用力呈凸形，两者结合形成倒U型关系。此外，还确定了两个边界条件：（1）只有在其他情境因素没有引起心理反作用时，才会产生这种效果；(2) 这种效应在消费者为他人购买时消失，而不是在他们为自己购买时消失。