How substitute scarcity appeals effect on experiential gift’s purchase intention?

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the substitute scarcity appeals (unit scarcity or option scarcity) effect on experiential gift’s purchase intention, based on difference in gift attribute (hedonic or utilitarian gift) and difference in the types of givers (close or distant giver), which is a new consideration. Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted with two experiments and examined four hypotheses in total. These hypotheses were examined using a 2 × 2 between-subjects designs, and a two-factorial covariance analysis was conducted. Findings Empirical results show that unit scarcity produces greater purchase intention than the option scarcity of close givers. For hedonic gifts, unit scarcity produced greater purchase intention than the option scarcity. Originality/value The originality of this study is to explore the substitute scarcity appeals effect on experiential gift’s purchase intention based on different types of givers and different types of gifts. The result serves as the gift marketing strategy of online platform operators and the future reference for marketers to create more value and purchase intention.