| Summary: | Scarcity and its effects on consumers has proven to be a subject of fascination for
researchers in the field of consumer studies. However, extant literature remains silent on how
certain forms of scarcity affect specific message effects and outcomes such as persuasion. This is
especially true when it comes to quantity-based message unavailability, where messages can
only be accessed a limited number of times. The rise of social media platforms promoting limited
access messages is a timely call for research in this dimension to allow marketers and advertisers
to formulate effective message strategies. Adopting the commodity theory and the heuristic-systematic
model of persuasion, this study examines quantity-based message unavailability and
its influence on message effects such as persuasion, as well as the information processing routes
prioritized. In addition, we propose message involvement as a moderating factor for the above
mentioned relationships. In our experiment, subjects were exposed to a message with varying
expectations of quantity-based message unavailability. After the message was shown, a survey
was administered to determine message effects such as message credibility, thought favorability,
message recall, and persuasion. The study found no significant relationship between quantity-based
message unavailability and message effects. The study also found no significant
relationship between quantity-based message unavailability and the prioritization of systematic
processing. Finally, the study found no significant moderating effects of message involvement.
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