Product Waitlist
A product waitlist is an email list of potential customers who have expressed interest in a product or service that is not yet available to the general public.
A product waitlist is an opt-in email list of people who want to be told when your product, or a specific feature, is available.
Most waitlists collect an email address. Some also ask for a name, company, role, or intended use, which lets you invite the right people first and write launch emails that fit them.
Why it matters
A waitlist gives you a launch audience before there is anything to sell. It also gives you a rough read on demand, since how many people sign up and who they are says something about the product before it ships. On launch day you send to people who asked to hear from you rather than to a cold list.
What to send while people wait
Start with a welcome email that confirms the signup and says roughly when to expect news. Send progress updates when there is something concrete to show, then an early-access invite for the first group, then the launch email campaign itself. Months of silence followed by a launch email is the common failure. See waitlist email examples for formats.
Common mistakes
Optimizing for list size instead of fit. A large list collected through giveaways or broad ads is full of people who will never buy. Going quiet for so long that subscribers forget they signed up. Inviting everyone at once when the product can only support a first batch.