Understanding Consumer Reactions to Empty Shelves
Have you ever felt a sudden jolt when you spot an empty shelf, even though you weren’t looking for that product? Recent research suggests that this reaction is common and arises from more than simple inconvenience.
Emotional Responses to Stockouts
In a study I conducted with colleague Ursula Dávila Gamiño, we examined how consumers respond emotionally to stockouts — moments when products are unavailable and shelves appear bare. The results show that merely seeing an empty shelf can raise feelings of anxiety, regardless of whether the missing item was on a shopper’s list.
Visual and Generalized Response
Our findings indicate the response is visual and generalized, not tied to the specific product. For example, an empty display of canned soup could produce stress in someone who came for bread. This suggests shoppers have learned to associate bare shelves with threat, a form of emotional conditioning from prior crises.
Impact of Media and Past Crises
High-profile supply disruptions such as the COVID pandemic, retailer cyberattacks, and other shortages amplified media coverage and pub...