> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fanfare.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Experiences > Creating and managing product launches, sales, and access-controlled events An **Experience** is the central container for a product launch, sale event, or access-controlled offering in Fanfare. It brings together your products, timing, and access methods to orchestrate how consumers reach checkout. ## What is an Experience? Think of an experience as a campaign for a specific launch or event. When you create an experience, you define: * **What** — Which products are available * **When** — Opening and closing times * **How** — The method consumers use to get access (queue, draw, auction, etc.) * **Who** — Which consumer groups can participate (optional) ## Experience Schedule Experience schedule model showing experiences containing sequences, distributions, and public timing states. An experience does not have a separate public state machine. Its visible schedule is derived from the distributions attached to its sequences. | Distribution timing | Consumer-facing meaning | | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **upcoming** | The distribution has not opened yet; consumers may see a launch time, countdown, or waitlist prompt. | | **active** | The distribution is available for its supported action, such as entering, bidding, booking, or claiming access. | | **ended** | The distribution window has closed; consumers see closed-state messaging or their outcome. | Draw `drawAt` and auction `settleAt` can extend the derived experience schedule beyond the entry or bidding window because they represent outcome timing. ## Access Paths (Sequences) Within an experience, you can create multiple **access paths** (called sequences) to give different consumer groups different experiences: Access path priority diagram showing VIP, early access, and general access paths evaluated in order. ### How Routing Works When a consumer enters your experience: 1. Fanfare evaluates available sequences in priority order. 2. The response returns a public outcome such as `routed`, `gated`, or `no_access`. 3. If the consumer is gated, the response tells your UI which public requirement to collect, such as authentication, an access code, or a verification step. 4. Once routed, the current journey state exposes only the actions that are valid for that state. ### Common Patterns **VIP Early Access** ``` VIP Sequence (Priority: 100) ↳ Requires: VIP audience membership ↳ Distribution: Draw (lottery for fairness) General Sequence (Priority: 10) ↳ Requires: Nothing (open to all) ↳ Distribution: Queue (first-come) ``` **Access Code Launch** ``` Presale Sequence (Priority: 100) ↳ Requires: Access code "PRESALE2024" ↳ Distribution: Queue General Sale Sequence (Priority: 10) ↳ Requires: Nothing ↳ Distribution: Queue ``` **Waitlist Overflow** ``` Main Queue Sequence (Priority: 100) ↳ Distribution: Queue (limited capacity) Waitlist Sequence (Priority: 10) ↳ Distribution: Waitlist (notified when space opens) ``` ## Products in Experiences You can associate one or more products with an experience: ### Single Product Most experiences have one product — a product launch, limited edition, or exclusive item. ### Multiple Products You can offer several products in one experience — useful for collection drops, bundle sales, or mystery boxes. Depending on the experience setup, consumers can choose a product or Fanfare can assign one from the configured product pool. ### Product Selection You can control how products are selected: * **Consumer-selected** — Consumers pick their preferred product or variant * **System-assigned** — Fanfare assigns from the configured product pool (great for mystery boxes) For system-assigned products, product allocation weights control the relative probability that each product is assigned. Keep those weights separate from draw odds: draw configuration decides which consumers are selected, while product allocation decides what an admitted or selected consumer receives. ## Theming and Customization Each experience can have its own look and feel: * **Colors** — Match your brand * **Logo** — Your company logo * **Background** — Custom images or colors * **Language** — Customize text and messages Themes can be set at the account level and overridden for specific experiences. ## Consumer Journey Phases When consumers participate in an experience, they move through phases: ### 1. Arriving Consumer lands on the experience page. They see: * Product information * When the experience opens (if scheduled) * What access method is being used ### 2. Joining Consumer enters the experience: * May need to provide contact information * May need an access code * Gets assigned to the appropriate access path ### 3. Participating Consumer participates according to the distribution type: * Waiting in a queue * Entered in a draw * Placing bids in an auction * Booking an appointment * Claiming a timed release * Joining a waitlist when the current access path offers one ### 4. Getting Access When it's their turn, the consumer receives access to checkout. This typically includes: * A time-limited window to complete their purchase * Real-time status updates * Clear next steps ### 5. Completing Consumer completes their purchase within the access window. ## Best Practices ### Plan Your Timing * Set opening times that work for your target audience's timezone * Give yourself buffer time before high-profile launches * Consider closing times based on your operational capacity ### Design Access Paths Thoughtfully * Higher-priority paths should have stricter eligibility requirements * Always have a general access path as a fallback * Test your routing logic before launch ### Prepare Products Early * Associate products before the experience opens * Ensure inventory is accurate * Test the checkout flow ### Test the Consumer Flow * Use preview mode to see what consumers will experience * Test all access paths with different scenarios * Verify timing displays correctly in different timezones ## Next Steps * [Distribution Types](/concepts/distributions/overview) — Learn about queues, draws, auctions, and more * [Audiences](/concepts/audiences) — Create targeted consumer groups * [Products](/concepts/products) — Set up your product catalog