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Product scarcity is making a jump from offline to online - ironic, since the promise of the web is ubiquity and ready access of products and services, writes Three Minds. Invitation-only Gmail was one of the first web-only services to break that "rule."

Offline, limited-run lines of clothing was how high fashion got its start. For example, a joint venture between Training Camp and Complex magazine will sell limited-edition sneakers, cellphones and other street status items to celebrities and tastemakers who qualify for VIP status.

And, online, the trend is being replicated: Take, for example, Privé, an invitation-only section of Forzieri.com, an online purveyor of luxury fashion goods. Forzieri's best customers will have access to exclusives and limited editions of designer merchandise.

"It's like going to a popular night club," said founder Andrea Forzieri. "When the bouncer refuses you entry, you want more than anything to get in."