Distribution Types Overview

A Distribution is the method that controls how consumers gain access to purchase your products. Different distribution types suit different business scenarios — from high-demand product launches to exclusive VIP events.

Available Distribution Types

Fanfare supports six distribution types:

Type	How It Works	Best For
Queue	Consumers wait in a virtual line, served first-come-first-served	High-demand launches where order matters
Draw	Consumers enter a lottery and winners are randomly selected	Fair allocation when demand exceeds supply
Auction	Consumers place competitive bids	Unique items, collectibles, price discovery
Appointment	Consumers book specific time slots	In-store pickups, consultations, services
Timed Release	Instant access at a scheduled time	Flash sales, member perks
Waitlist	Captures interest, notifies when available	Pre-launch signup, overflow handling

How Distributions Work

Every distribution follows a similar pattern:

Distribution consumer journey showing join, participate, get access, and purchase.

1. Join

Consumers enter the distribution. Depending on the type, this might mean:

Joining a queue
Entering a draw
Placing a bid
Selecting a time slot

2. Participate

Consumers actively participate according to the distribution method:

Queue: Watch their position move forward
Draw: Wait for the selection
Auction: Monitor bids and place new ones
Appointment: Confirm their booking

3. Get Access

When it’s their turn, consumers receive access to checkout. This includes:

A limited time window to complete their purchase
Clear instructions on next steps
Real-time countdown

4. Complete Purchase

Consumers complete their purchase within the access window. If they don’t complete in time, their access expires.

Distribution Timing

Each distribution has customer-facing timing derived from its configured window:

upcoming -> active -> ended

State	Meaning
upcoming	The distribution is scheduled but not active yet.
active	Consumers can take the supported action for that distribution.
ended	The distribution window or outcome timing has ended.

Some distributions add outcome timing. Draws use drawAt for winner selection, and auctions use settleAt for settlement timing.

Access Windows

When consumers receive access, they get a time-limited window to complete checkout:

Setting	What It Controls
Access duration	How long consumers have to complete checkout
Expiration behavior	What happens if they don’t complete in time

Best practices for access windows:

5-10 minutes for simple checkouts (one item, saved payment)
15-30 minutes for complex purchases (multiple items, new payment info)
Always set an expiration to ensure fair access for waiting consumers

Guest vs. Verified Access

You can control whether consumers need to verify their identity:

Setting	When to Use
Allow guests	Low-friction entry, maximize participation
Require verification	Higher-value items, prevent abuse, enable notifications

Guest support depends on the distribution type and launch configuration:

Distribution	Guests Usually Allowed?	Why
Queue	Yes	Low friction for high-volume
Draw	Yes	Maximize entries
Auction	No	Need payment capability
Appointment	No	Booking accountability
Timed Release	Configurable	Controlled by `supportsGuest`
Waitlist	Yes	Lead capture

Capacity Controls

Different distributions have different capacity options:

Queue

Queue capacity — Maximum people waiting at once
Admission rate — How many people access checkout per minute
Total admissions — Maximum total people who can purchase

Draw

Entry capacity — Maximum entries accepted
Winner count — How many winners to select

Auction

Typically single-item (winner is highest bidder)

Appointment

Slot capacity — How many bookings per time slot
Time slots — Available booking times

Choosing the Right Distribution

Here’s a decision guide:

Queue

Best for: High-demand product launches where first-come-first-served feels fair Consumer experience: Join the line, watch position update, get access when it’s their turn Example: Sneaker drops, concert tickets, limited edition products

Draw (Lottery)

Best for: Situations where demand far exceeds supply and random selection feels most fair Consumer experience: Enter the draw, wait for selection, winners notified Example: Exclusive collaborations, oversubscribed events, fairness-focused brands

Auction

Best for: Unique items where price discovery is important Consumer experience: Place bids, monitor competition, highest bid wins Example: Art, collectibles, one-of-a-kind items

Appointment

Best for: Services or pickups that need scheduling Consumer experience: Browse available times, book a slot, receive confirmation Example: Store appointments, consultations, pickup scheduling

Timed Release

Best for: Simple access at a specific time without queuing Consumer experience: Countdown to release, instant access when it opens Example: Flash sales, member-exclusive access, promotional windows

Waitlist

Best for: Capturing interest before launch or handling overflow Consumer experience: Sign up, receive notification when available Example: Pre-launch interest, sold-out items that may return, overflow from other distributions

Next Steps

Learn more about each distribution type:

Queue Distribution — First-in-first-out waiting lines
Draw Distribution — Random lottery selection
Auction Distribution — Competitive bidding
Appointment Distribution — Time slot booking
Timed Release Distribution — Instant access at a time
Waitlist Distribution — Interest capture

Getting Started

Core Concepts