Does saying that a product is sold out still mean anything?

In fashion, there are big and small brands. Independent and part of large conglomerates. Emerging and established. Some sell a lot, while others sell little; some produce in mass, while others have built their empire on bespoke creations. Until a few years ago, the concept of sold out was considered a goal to aspire to, the infallible measure of success for a clothing brand. Today, however, the term has almost entirely lost its relevance. In the era of hype, of Supreme and Off-White™, sales were based precisely on the philosophy of selling out: endless queues outside stores of fans eager to grab the latest release from these two brands boosted their popularity. The sold-out effect then fueled the resale market, inflating the prices of items, which further justified the staggering prices of "ordinary" pieces like t-shirts and sneakers. This phenomenon is known as the Sold Out Effect, a marketing strategy that subconsciously influences consumers. In recent years, it has been masterfully revived by Phoebe Philo, designer and former creative director of Chloé and Céline, who launched the first collection of her eponymous brand in the fall of 2023. Initially, items were only available for purchase online at phoebephilo.com, and what was particularly surprising from the first drop was that the sold-out pieces were the least conventional ones. The fact is that, for all we knew, the designer might have put up only one item per piece for sale.

Various studies confirm that the Sold Out Effect exists and represents an excellent sales strategy: psychologically, when consumers see the words "sold out" on an item, they experience a feeling linked to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). The moment a consumer buys something other than what they initially wanted, signs up for a waitlist for an item they didn’t even intend to purchase, or simply waits restlessly for the next drop to buy something, the Sold Out Effect occurs. This practice has been around for a long time, playing on the concept of exclusivity and having a huge impact on the perception of a brand and its products—not just in terms of popularity but also quality. With a simple trick, a brand can convince potential customers of its value, even though, as often happens, the process is based on information that is not entirely transparent. And just as there are brands that mass produce and therefore never sell out, there are others that limit their production precisely to feed demand.