Hey there! Have you ever wondered why some websites skyrocket in popularity while others seem doomed to fade away? Well, grab a seat, because we’re going to dive into a tale that perfectly illustrates the power of scarcity in marketing, featuring the remarkable journey of Ben Fischman. In 2005, Fischman launched SmartBargains, a discount site that thrived with jaw-dropping deals. But as quickly as success came, it vanished, and competition edged in. Fast forward to 2008, and Fischman rebounded, creating Rue La La—which not only mirrored his previous venture but blew it out of the water, yielding a shocking $350 million sale in just a year! How did he turn the tides? Spoiler alert: it was all about making shoppers feel urgency and exclusivity. Let’s unpack this fascinating case study on leveraging scarcity as a powerful marketing tool! Want to dive deeper? Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.
In 2005, Ben Fischman was CEO of SmartBargains. It was a discount website selling everything from bedding to luggage.
The deals were fantastic. Visitors flocked to the site for prices up to 75% off. It was an overnight success.
But by 2007, the buzz was gone.
Competitors had cropped up. Dozens of newer sites were offering better deals and cheaper prices.
SmartBargins lost its market share, and visitors left in droves.
So Fischman tried again — except this time, he eventually sold his comparable website for $350 million.
