"Limited edition" label can sway over two in ten shoppers to buy electronics, phones
Few things evoke a fear of missing out in the world of consumerism as ‘limited edition’ launches. But does that push people to purchase? In earlier pieces, we explored consumer sentiments towards limited edition video games and live event tickets. Here, we zero in on electronics and phones.
According to a recent YouGov survey that polled consumers across 17 international markets, more than one in five (22%) consumers across markets are more likely to buy consumer electronics like laptops and TVs if they were to be advertised as limited edition.
However, such labels would have no impact on a quarter of them (25%) and for 16% of shoppers it would make them more likely to opt to purchase.
For this category, just over three in ten consumers (31%) say they’re not interested in limited edition products at all.
Men are more likely than women (26% vs. 19%) to say they’d opt for electronic products marketed as limited edition items.
Stick a limited edition label on phones and related accessories and 23% of consumers across markets are more likely to buy them, YouGov Surveys: Serviced data shows. Just as with consumer electronics, men are more likely than women to go for phones and accessories marked as limited edition (26% vs. 20%).
Consumers in Indonesia (53%) and UAE (53%) account for the largest proportion of those who are more likely to buy electronics if they are advertised as limited edition. About half of Indian shoppers surveyed (51%) have the same view.
Danes (7%) are the least likely to buy limited edition electronics. They’re also the most likely (31%) to say a limited edition tag won’t make them consider an electronics purchase any more or less.
Americans (11%) and Brits (12%) aren’t big on limited edition launches of consumer electronics either. In fact, Americans (50%) are the most likely across markets to say they aren’t interested in limited edition consumer electronics, followed by Britons (48%).
Singaporeans’ dominant opinion (36%) is that they’re not interested in limited edition products, when it comes to electronics.
Italians (24%) and Mexicans (23%) say they’d be more unlikely to buy electronics if marketed as limited edition. In Asia, Hong Kongers (21%) lead in saying the same.
As for phones and related accessories, a limited edition marker is most likely to make consumers in India (57%), UAE (57%) and Mexico (54%) to purchase the products. Consumers in the Nordic markets surveyed - Denmark (8%) and Sweden (9%) - are least likely to agree.
Limited edition labels on phones are most likely to make Italians (25%), Spaniards (24%) and Swedes (24%) more unlikely to buy them.
Just like with consumer electronics, Americans (52%) and Brits (47%) lead across markets in saying they aren’t interested in limited edition phones and related accessories.
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from
nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 503 and 2004 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in March 2024. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.