Beyond Time Limits: How Skill-based Scarcity Enhances Brand Relationships in Metaverses
(A2025-124195)

AUTHORS

Reo Fukuda, Asia university; Naoki Akamatsu, Meiji Gakuin University

ABSTRACT

This research introduces and examines skill-based scarcity (SS), a metaverse-specific form of scarcity where product acquisition depends on players’ gaming abilities, comparing its effects with traditional limited-time scarcity (LTS). Through three experimental studies across multiple gaming platforms, we investigate how SS and LTS differently influence self-brand connection through social status and self-esteem. Results demonstrate that SS generates stronger immediate effects on social status and self-brand connection than LTS, but this advantage diminishes over time. However, during product re-release, the superiority of SS re-emerges. The findings extend scarcity theory by revealing how different resource requirements (skill versus time) create distinct psychological responses in metaverse environments. This research provides theoretical contributions to digital consumer behavior literature and practical implications for brands’ metaverse strategies, suggesting that SS effectively fosters skill-based community hierarchies while LTS better serves long-term relationship building.