The Viral Queueing Phenomenon: INDEF Attributes it to FOMO and Social Status

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The phenomenon of long queues to buy viral watches and perfumes in shopping malls is considered to be driven by social status and the influence of social media among urban communities.

In the midst of economic pressures still felt by some people, this consumptive behaviour is said to occur more often among the middle-to-upper class in major cities.

The Executive Director of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), Tauhid Ahmad, said that this phenomenon is closely related to the social status symbols formed through trends on social media.

According to him, owning certain items is now not only about function, but also part of a person’s social identity and symbol of life success.

“If you have these kinds of social goods, it means it describes that you have entered the level of success in your life,” he said.

In addition to the social status factor, Tauhid believes that the fear of missing out (FOMO) also plays a major role in encouraging people to queue for viral products.

He explained that the scarcity of products creates its own psychological effect on consumers.

The long queues and difficulty in obtaining goods make these products seem to have higher value compared to goods that are easily found in the market.

“If you join the queue, you feel that the item is more valuable than others. There is a psychological and emotional effect in consuming these items,” said Tauhid.

However, Tauhid believes that this phenomenon cannot be used as a general picture of the overall Indonesian middle class.

According to him, this kind of consumptive behaviour occurs more in major cities and among communities that still have savings or relatively strong purchasing power.

“In my opinion, this does not describe the middle-class phenomenon in general. It only happens in big cities and certain places,” he said.

Quoting Instagram @localpridegarage, the phenomenon of long queues has become a public spotlight after several viral videos showed children and teenagers crowding to buy Mykonos brand local perfumes at Pondok Indah Mall, Jakarta.

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