Redefine launch success by turning those L’s into loyalty

Winning isn’t everything, we’re told (like, starting in kindergarten). That doesn’t mean anyone likes losing, though. 

In the world of fandom, where demand for new product drops massively exceeds supply, the reality is that most people will not win most of the launches they enter. This raises the question for us: how do we make the launch experience enjoyable and memorable even when fans are statistically unlikely to get a W?

At EQL, we’re exploring how brands can rethink launch strategy to maximize impact, reward fan passions, and make the whole thing more fun for everyone involved. 

Here are three key ways that brands can make losing suck less.

Deliver a solid user experience

First, know this: disappointment is okay, expected even. But frustration is a different story, especially when fans feel taken advantage of. 

And that’s all too common in the world of in-demand retail. Eager buyers do everything possible to set themselves up for success, only to find sellout occurs out in a fraction of a second — faster than any human could possibly purchase — thanks to resellers wielding bots to buy up inventory for the sake of profit.

For real fans, it’s like rubbing salt in the wound of an already disappointing loss. It becomes clear that it’s not just luck and math that aren’t on their side, but that the system is actually rigged against them. This breeds cynicism and resentment, and the whole thing stops being fun.

To combat this, it’s important for brands to deliver an experience that feels fair and trusted by fans. By using technology that blocks bots and weeds out bad actors, brands send the message that they care about the fan experience. This earns goodwill from fans that keeps them coming back, even when they know the odds of actually scoring the product are low.

Offer something else

On launch day, you’ve got thousands of fans amped up, credit cards in hand, ultra motivated to buy. And once the product sells out, everyone who didn’t snag the item is simply out of luck — all that passion and intent to purchase squandered. Not only is this a bummer for fans, but it’s also a massive missed opportunity for brands. 

Instead, brands can extend an additional offer after someone enters their launch. This could be a coupon for a percentage off any purchase from your site, or even an opportunity to buy a related product that’s exclusive to launch entrants. In fact, EQL has seen that for the majority of our launches, buying intent is around 10x the revenue made from the launch alone, and post-entry offers see a 30%+ average click through rate. 

When positioned right, this is a chance to make the fan feel valued for their interest, even if they end up being unsuccessful in the launch. Plus, that’s additional revenue for your brand when otherwise you’d earn nothing.

Initial testing from some of our top partners has yielded impressive results, demonstrating how leveraging post-entry CTAs that drive fans to their websites can significantly enhance engagement and drive additional revenue for brands.We measured our initial success by using average click-through rate (CTR) data from various industry benchmarks, which revealed:

Guarantee better luck next time with audience allocation features

We know that fans will do a lot for the love of a brand. But constant disappointment is still bound to eat away at the loyalty that keeps them coming back. The good news is that brands have tools at their disposal to counteract fan burnout — giving them a well-earned edge over the competition.

EQL allows our partner brands to take more control over the fan experience to continue stoking passions and avoid letting them fizzle out. For starters, our EQLizer algorithm automatically offers a boost to unsuccessful entrants on future launches from the same brand. But we also make it possible for our partners to take it even further.

That could look like an exclusive launch that’s accessible only to diehard fans who haven’t had a win in a while. (Internally, we lovingly refer to these as #loserlaunches, having wished to participate in several ourselves.) Or allocating a portion of launch inventory to those fans who deserve it most. Brands can choose to upweight entrants who are new to the fandom to start them off on a high note, or reward long-time followers’ tenacity with better chances.

We’re big on keeping it fair at EQL, but we also think it’s important to ensure that everyone gets their due sooner or later — and it’s a crucial way to show fans you care.

Everybody wins (with EQL)

Highs and lows are built into the experience of being a fan. That’s kind of what it’s all about — winning every single time would, frankly, take away from the thrill. But brands who play in the passion economy have to walk a fine line between keeping things exciting and simply subjecting followers to constant heartache.

EQL offers all the tools brands need to strike this balance well. From a fairness-first ethos to post-entry CTAs and audience allocation options, we support brands in keeping fandom fun for everyone (and helping retailers maximize the potential of every launch). Get in touch today to learn more about how we can transform the launch experience for your fanbase.