'Honesty is the Best Policy' Series – Fake Scarcity

Good day,

May God's peace and blessings be with you.

It's wonderful that you've found your way to this post in the 'Honesty is the Best Policy' series today. In this series, we look at different business practices and examine whether they are in line with the business principles of the Kingdom of Heaven.

A reputation for honesty is worth more than the money we can gain by risking it.

Proverbs 22:1 (ESV) "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”

The business practices of the times have had a profound impact on the markets. There are some business practices that people have accepted as standard, but which do not conform to the principles of the Kingdom of God. The feigning of or fake scarcity is one example. A product or service is artificially limited in either time or quantity with the intend to create emotional pressure on the customer regarding the purchase decision. This emotional pressure is intended to make the customer feel that they will miss out on significant benefits if they do not decide to purchase quickly.

This feigned or fake scarcity and the associated options for a customer are in contrast to the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of abundance. There is no scarcity there.

Feigning scarcity demonstrates a lack of integrity. In Matthew 5:37 (ESV), Jesus clearly states, "Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”

This means that when selling products and services, we should ensure that the deadlines set are genuine and that the supply is truly limited. Honesty and integrity should be paramount in our dealings with employees, customers, and suppliers. We should not allow ourselves to be tempted to compromise our behavior and engage in questionable practices for the sake of profit.

Proverbs 11:1 (ESV) "A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight."

When customers perceive a company as trustworthy, strong and loyal customer relationships develop. Integrity is the solid foundation for lasting, strong business relationships and thus the basis for entrepreneurial success.

Kingdom business relationships provide a win-win for buyer and seller. It is never set-up for one person to prosper at the expense of the other person.

Salt 🧂: Honesty and integrity

Light 🕯️: High-quality products and services at a fair price.