How Fanfare Works
When you launch a high-demand product or event, Fanfare helps you manage the consumer experience by controlling who gets access, when, and how.
Core Concepts
Experiences
An Experience is your product launch, sale event, or access-controlled offering. Think of it as a campaign that groups together everything needed to manage consumer access. Experiences define:- When it opens and closes — Control exactly when consumers can participate
- What products are available — Connect your products to the experience
- How consumers get access — Through queues, draws, auctions, or other methods
Distribution Types
A Distribution is the method that controls how consumers gain access to purchase. Fanfare supports several types:| Type | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Queue | First-come, first-served line | High-demand launches |
| Draw | Random lottery selection | Fair allocation of limited items |
| Auction | Competitive bidding | Unique or collectible items |
| Appointment | Scheduled time slots | In-store pickups, consultations |
| Timed Release | Instant access at a set time | Flash sales, member perks |
| Waitlist | Notify when available | Pre-launch interest, overflow |
Consumers
Fanfare tracks your consumers as they participate in experiences. Consumers can be:- Guests — Shopping without an account (guest checkout)
- Registered — Have provided email or phone
- Verified — Confirmed their identity via email or phone
- Loyalty score — Based on purchase history and engagement
- Activity level — Recent engagement patterns
Audiences
An Audience is a group of consumers you want to target. Use audiences to create exclusive access for specific groups:- VIP consumers — Based on purchase history or loyalty
- Newsletter subscribers — Synced from your email platform
- Invite lists — Manually curated for exclusive events
Products
Connect your Products to experiences to make them available for purchase. Fanfare supports:- Variants — Different sizes, colors, or options
- Inventory tracking — Optional stock management
- Media assets — Images and descriptions
The Consumer Journey
Here’s what a typical consumer experience looks like:
Instant Updates
Consumers see their status in real time:- Queue position and estimated wait time
- Current high bid in auctions
- Draw entry confirmation
- Countdown to access
Choosing the Right Approach
| Your Situation | Recommended Distribution | Why |
|---|---|---|
| More demand than supply, fairness matters | Queue | First-come ordering feels fair |
| Limited inventory, everyone deserves a chance | Draw | Random selection is equitable |
| Unique items, price discovery needed | Auction | Bidding finds the right price |
| Scheduled service or pickup | Appointment | Time slots work best |
| Quick access at a specific time | Timed Release | Simple, instant access |
| Building interest before launch | Waitlist | Capture demand early |
Next Steps
- Experiences — Learn how to set up your first experience
- Distribution Types — Understand each distribution method
- Consumers — Learn about consumer identity and scoring