People switch to 'good replacements' if their favorite brands are unavailable

A new study has revealed that consumers will quickly switch to a new brand, if they find a "good" replacement, when their favorite product is unavailable.

Researchers found that desire for a product depends on the amount of time that has passed since a consumer was able to consume the product and the availability of substitutes and consumers desire a product more over time if substitutes are unavailable, but desire the product less if substitutes are available.

How much a consumer desired a product was based on the length of time that passes before they could either find the original product or a suitable replacement to satisfy their craving.

The authors noted that the best time for brands to use persuasive messages such as "when was the last time you had a Snickers bar?" to increase cravings was when the craving was outside of the realm of a person's self-control.

However, the authors concluded that a "limited supply" message (While supplies last!) could also backfire if the consumer cannot find the product. If a company restricted the supply of a product in a way that someone could not find the product at all, they would likely develop new tastes for a substitute product and desire the original product less over time.

The study is published in the Journal of Consumer Research.