The secret behind every successful product drop: A robust prelaunch waitlist strategy

Background

I’ve observed hundreds of DTC product drops up close and learnt a hard truth: brands spend hundreds of hours designing the perfect collection, only to see mediocre sales on drop day.

Most product drops fail not because the products weren’t good enough - they fail because DTC teams didn’t convert prelaunch buzz into predictable revenue.

So, what separates a mediocre drop from a “SKIMS-level” sell-out success?

It’s NOT celebrity endorsements.

It’s NOT massive ad budgets.

The real answer: A robust prelaunch waitlist machine.

(A system I see repeatedly across the most successful DTC drops)

Why waitlists are the foundation behind every successful product drop

Ever seen Apple fans lining up outside stores during an iPhone release?

A prelaunch waitlist is the DTC equivalent of customers "lining up" outside your online store.

The best part - You don’t need big budgets to make this happen.

You need prelaunch demand capture, waitlist marketing, and drop day automation - the three pillars of an effective DTC launch strategy.

Over the past 3 years, working with 300+ DTC brands from sub-$10M emerging brands to $100M+ enterprise brands, I’ve consistently seen one pattern:

"Every top-performing product drop is powered by a well-engineered prelaunch waitlist strategy."

I’m sharing everything I’ve learnt in this 3 step, practical guide that every DTC brand operator can use to to build a robust prelaunch waitlist machine.

This practical 3-step system will help you:

• Identify hero products early

• Create predictable drop day revenue

• 10X your drop day revenue using a product drop waitlist strategy

STEP 1 - Set up a prelaunch waitlist. Capture demand before launch

A few weeks before drop day, publish your upcoming collection on your DTC store with inventory set to 0.

Then add a Notify Me or Join the Waitlist button on the product page for each of the prelaunch products.

This is the foundation of a high-performing prelaunch waitlist. The waitlist button helps you capture SKU-level demand with customer emails or phone numbers. That's real pre-launch demand, no guesswork.

"Holland Cooper - an iconic, 8-figure DTC brand uses product-specific waitlists before every drop. I've seen first-hand how this helps them identify size preferences and hero products, weeks before launch."

Once your waitlist is live, the next job begins: growing it.

(If you want a proven tech stack that helps you do this out of the box, request an invite to my Drop 10X Lab.)

STEP 2 - Amplify your waitlist. Everywhere.

The number of customers on your prelaunch waitlist is the leading indicator of how well your drop will perform.

That’s why all your prelaunch marketing - organic, paid, influencer, on-site - must revolve around one metric:

North Star Metric: Total Waitlisted Customers

Here’s how you maximize it:

Social (Organic + Paid)

Every teaser, BTS post, or product close-up must drive to one CTA - Join the waitlist - with a link to the product page.

Influencer Strategy

Creators should use the same CTA and link directly to the upcoming collection or product page. This is crucial for building consistent, measurable prelaunch demand.

Shopify Storefront

Highlight the new collection with:

• Dedicated homepage section

• On-site banner

• Clear “Join the Waitlist” CTA

This is just scratching the surface - most brands underutilize the power of waitlist marketing. When all cross functional teams, agency partners and creators get together to grow your waitlist, you'll have thousands of customers "lining up" for your next drop.

"When your entire team rallies behind total waitlisted customers as your North star metric, you will see magical results."

I’ve seen this happen first hand with dozens of brands that consistently do successful drops.

STEP 3 - Automate drop day revenue. This is where 10X happens.

If you’ve executed Step 1 and Step 2, drop day becomes a formality. You already know how much revenue you'll make on drop day. Revenue prediction formula below.

Now you activate drop day automation:

• Send product-specific “Available Now” emails to waitlisted members

• Prioritize early access Preorder windows for waitlist members

• Release reminders for those who haven’t purchased yet

This is where the conversion magic happens.

Using this system, I consistently see:

• 10-15% of waitlisted customers placing an order

• 10x multiplier on drop day revenue driven by prelaunch waitlists

That’s how brands engineer predictable, repeatable revenue spikes.

"Across 100+ drops, I’ve seen the same pattern. If you have 5,000 people on your waitlist, you can expect 500–750 orders. It’s math, not magic."

I know first hand, how hard it is to automate drop day. If you want a proven tech-stack and playbook to run a flawless drop-day automation, head over to my Drop 10X lab and request an invite.

The Final Word

You don’t need celebrities.

You don’t need huge budgets.

All you need is a robust prelaunch waitlist machine.

Whether you’re:

• A sub-$10M brand punching above your weight

• Or a $100M+ enterprise brand optimizing every drop

…the truth remains the same:

Your drop is only as successful as the waitlist you build before it.

A great prelaunch waitlist machine doesn’t just maximize day-one revenue.

It creates hype, deepens loyalty, and positions your brand as one worth waiting for.

I'd love to hear from you - send me an email at harshil@peppyduck.com with your #1 challenge in running a successful drop. I personally read every email and reply within 2 business days. :)