Luxury distribution can feel like French flirting: a glance, a little distance, then the strange discovery that being kept waiting has made the object more interesting.
I find the psychology fascinating and occasionally infuriating. When access is limited, the acquisition can become a story in itself. The customer is no longer only buying an object. They are buying the feeling of having been admitted, recognised or unusually persistent.
But scarcity and poor service are different things. A genuinely limited product may justify a waiting list. Unnecessary friction can simply make people angry. I would be very careful about assuming that every queue or delay is a deliberate brand strategy, or that customers all enjoy the chase.
For a premium brand, the useful question is where exclusivity adds meaning and where it undermines respect. Does the customer understand the process? Are promises clear? Is the eventual experience worth the effort?
Selective distribution can protect a distinctive experience. It can also become a glamorous excuse for making people feel small. The relationship works best when the object and the treatment both justify the desire.