My Digital Farmer Podcast
Episode 327: Turn "Sold Out" Into Your Best Marketing Tool
Host: Corinna Bench
Release Date: August 27, 2025
Brief Overview
In this episode, Corinna Bench explores how the "sold out" status—often perceived as a retail frustration—can become a potent marketing tool and growth driver for farm businesses. Drawing from her own on-farm experiences and retail strategies, Corinna unpacks the psychology behind sold-out products, the lessons it teaches customers, and practical tactics farms can leverage to harness desire, urgency, and loyalty from scarcity.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The “Sold Out” Lightbulb Moment (05:30)
- Corinna recounts the moment she realized leaving sold-out products visible in her online store could strategically signal product popularity and momentum to customers.
- "A sold out item sends a signal, doesn’t it? And not just one signal. It can create urgency, curiosity, pride... and just suggests there’s movement in your brand energy." (08:17)
2. Scarcity Creates Urgency (14:00)
- When customers see limited supply and high demand, it encourages faster purchasing decisions.
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Teaching customers it’s okay to miss out—because it fosters a valuable lesson: act fast.
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Parenting analogy: Letting children feel consequences so they learn; letting customers “feel the burn” so they pre-order/act quickly.
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Notable quote:
“It’s okay to let them experience the sold out sign... we want to teach them: you’ve got to pre-order your vegetables in the online store if you want to pick them up at market.” (16:16)
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- Practical tips:
- Visibly mark items sold out: grayed out in online stores; empty baskets at in-person markets with timed “sold out” notes.
- Encourage email sign-ups for first access.
- Examples:
- Sign at booth: “Sold out at 10:15am. Pre-order next week to guarantee product.”
- CSA renewals: Announce items (like eggshares) that sell out within minutes to motivate early sign-ups.
3. Scarcity Builds Social Proof (22:07)
- Seeing sold-out items signals that your products are valued and trusted by others—especially compelling for first-time buyers.
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Social content and signage can amplify these sales signals.
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Examples:
- Instagram: “Gone in two hours! You all must love this soup.”
- “Bestseller: We sell out every Saturday by noon.”
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Notable quote:
“Showing this sold out product makes people think your brand is in demand and that your products are very high quality.” (23:11)
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4. Sparks Desire & Curiosity (27:38)
- The psychological effect of scarcity: If you can’t have something, you want it more.
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Customers start following, researching, and asking when products will return.
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Leverage behind-the-scenes content to build anticipation.
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Notable quote:
“When we can’t have something, we want it more... it makes them want to have it even more because they can’t get it right now.” (27:50)
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- Practical tactics:
- Behind-the-scenes videos/posts teasing fresh batches or restock dates.
- In-person: “Ask me about getting this next week.”
- Social: Announce when popular batches are gone and encourage customers to sign up for restock alerts.
5. Excitement & Pride on “Winning” (30:50)
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Customers who land a rare, popular product feel a sense of victory and pride, which makes them more likely to share and repeat purchase.
- Notable quote:
“That is an emotional high, my friends. Any time you can create an emotional high in a customer, that is a good thing. It’s immense loyalty.” (31:36)
- Notable quote:
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Example:
- CSA Eggshare—proud posts and gifs from customers who managed to purchase the limited share.
- Rare bakery items: Customers lining up, taking photos, bragging rights.
6. Adds Perceived Value & Premium Status (37:26)
- Limited availability elevates a product’s status—customers believe it’s special, high quality, and worth a premium price.
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Examples: Seasonal cheeses, heirloom tomatoes, costly but desirable shares due to scarcity.
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Notable quote:
“Limited availability will make the product feel more premium. Even without changing the actual product.” (38:08)
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7. Waitlist & Lead Generation Opportunities (41:40)
- Sold-out items open the door for building email waitlists—turning disappointment into a future sales channel.
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Replace “add to cart” with “join waitlist” in online shops.
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Clipboard or QR sign-ups at market.
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Capture future sales by leveraging anticipation.
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Notable quote:
“Sold out is an incredible lead generation opportunity... Give them a way in that moment to sign up for exclusive first dibs.” (41:55)
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8. Hoarding Behavior Increases Order Value (44:10)
- Scarcity creates urgency to stock up (hoarding), which means higher transaction values.
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Example: Customers buying multiple packs of bacon to avoid missing out next time.
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Notable quote:
“You’re basically training a new behavior. You’re now training them to buy a lot of an item all at once, and then that can become a customer habit for the future.” (45:20)
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9. Beyond Online Stores — Visibility Tactics (47:09)
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Keep empty baskets/trays with prominent “sold out” signage at markets.
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Use menu boards with items visibly crossed off and sold-out times.
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Feature “before and after” photos (full shelves to empty) on social media.
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Celebrate the “last one sold” moment in stories or reels.
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Share customer social posts of “winning” the last items.
- Notable quote:
“Don’t be afraid to have a few places that are just... open where it’s almost like you can see the leftover from the storm of people that came and grabbed everything from that spot.” (47:20)
- Notable quote:
10. Manufactured Scarcity & Momentum (53:00)
- Strategically limit certain products to create momentum and energy in the brand.
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Example: Corinna only offers 100 of 120 eggshares up front, holding back some to generate urgency and “buzz” during presale.
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Notable quote:
“I could sell all 120 of them right out of the gate... but I purposely only do 100 because I want to create that scarcity. I want to make all the people that are going to pre-order come and pre-order on the first day.” (53:44)
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Memorable Quotes
- “A sold out item sends a signal, doesn’t it? ...It can create urgency, curiosity, pride... it suggests there’s movement in your brand energy.” — Corinna Bench (08:17)
- “It’s okay to let them experience the sold out sign. To not be able to buy your product, it’s okay for you to say, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t have any more right now.’” (16:16)
- "That is an emotional high, my friends. Any time you can create an emotional high in a customer, that is a good thing." (31:36)
- “Limited availability will make the product feel more premium. Even without changing the actual product.” (38:08)
- "Sold out is an incredible lead generation opportunity... Give them a way in that moment to sign up for exclusive first dibs." (41:55)
- "You’re now training them to buy a lot of an item all at once, and then that can become a customer habit for the future." (45:20)
Action Steps & Practical Tips
- Keep sold out products visible in your online shop or at your physical stand.
- Use signage or digital notes to mark exactly when something sold out.
- Gather email addresses via waitlists at the moment of disappointment.
- Use social media to highlight sellouts, show “before and after” pics, and share customer “wins.”
- Manufacture scarcity intentionally for select products to create momentum.
- Test and track: Monitor whether this approach leads to more pre-orders and sign-ups.
Final Takeaway & Challenge
Corinna’s call to action:
Experiment with always having something visible as “sold out” and use it to drive engagement, capture leads, and build brand excitement.
"Test this theory out. Don’t be afraid to be sold out. In fact, you can even manufacture this experience as a marketing strategy." (57:10)
For show notes and more resources, visit: mydigitalfarmer.com/327
Connect with Corinna on Instagram: @mydigitalfarmer
This summary conveys the episode’s engaging, practical, and motivational tone as well as detailed insights for any farmer or local foods entrepreneur seeking to strengthen their marketing edge.