How waitlists work

What a waitlist is

A waitlist is a numbered queue of buyers who want first access to hatchlings from a specific pairing. Buyers join before animals hatch. When hatchlings arrive and you create listings, waitlisted buyers are notified first — before listings go public. Waitlists turn 'I hope some are left when I check back' into 'I have position 3 and I know I'll get one.'

The buyer experience

Joining a waitlist takes one tap from your pairing page. Buyers see the pairing title and genetics, the current stage in the breeding timeline, their position in the queue, and an estimated wait based on your expected hatch date. They can leave the waitlist at any time before hatchlings are listed. Most don't — a buyer who's been following a timeline for 8 weeks has too much emotional investment to walk away.

The seller experience

Every time a buyer joins your waitlist, you get a notification. From your pairing edit page, you can see every person on the waitlist, their position, when they joined, and their contact details. When hatchlings are ready, create listings linked to the pairing — waitlisted buyers are automatically notified by email.

• No chasing buyers — they committed to the queue before animals were born
• You know exactly how much demand exists before counting a single egg
• Buyers are emotionally invested from following the timeline — conversion is higher than cold listings
• Waitlist data tells you which morphs and species are most in demand — useful for planning future seasons

How positions work

Positions are assigned chronologically — first to join is position 1. The position number is visible to each buyer so they know where they stand. Transparency is the point. A buyer who knows they're position 2 of 10 on a clutch of 8 knows they're almost certainly getting an animal. That certainty converts passive interest into active commitment.

Capping your waitlist

You can cap your waitlist at any number. If you're expecting 6 hatchlings, capping at 8 creates urgency ('only 8 spots') while giving you buffer for people who drop out before hatch. Avoid letting waitlists grow so far beyond your expected clutch size that the odds of getting an animal feel remote — buyers who think they have no chance won't stay in the queue.

Converting the waitlist at hatch

When you log the Hatched stage and link hatchling listings, your waitlisted buyers are automatically notified by email with a direct link to the available animals. They get first access before listings go public. This is the payoff: for you, a clutch sold quickly with no cold outreach. For your buyer, the animal they've been waiting for — delivered.