The Joy of 'Not Yet': How Anticipation Can Enhance Customer Experience

In today's fast-paced world, we're often told that speed is key. We want our food fast, our internet faster, and our packages delivered on the same day. But have we stopped to consider if all this speed comes at a cost of enjoyment?

Research suggests that the anticipation of something enjoyable can be just as pleasurable, if not more so, than the event itself. The longer we anticipate something, the more satisfied we become with the purchase we've made, and the stronger our memory of the product becomes. In other words, waiting can actually enhance our enjoyment of something.

How Brands Are Making Consumers Wait

This is something that hype culture has recognised and capitalised on. Brands have built their entire business models around the idea of waiting. We wait for product drops, we wait in queues, and we wait to see if we've won a spot in a raffle. The thrill of anticipation is part of the experience, and it keeps us coming back for more.

But what about the period of time between making a purchase and actually receiving the product? This is a space that few brands have explored beyond shipping notifications. However, there is an opportunity for brands to lean into the joy of "not yet" by building anticipation in this period.

Countdowns are one way to do this. By giving customers a specific date and time for when their product will arrive, brands can build excitement and anticipation. Invites to branded experiences can also be effective. For example, a clothing brand could send an invitation to a virtual fashion show to showcase its latest collection.

Usage and setup videos are another way to enhance the anticipation of a product's arrival. By showing customers how to use and set up their new purchases, brands can help build excitement and anticipation. This can also be a helpful way to reduce customer frustration if the product is complex or difficult to use.

All of these strategies can help brands tap into the joy of "not yet" and enhance the overall customer experience. By building anticipation, brands can create a more memorable and enjoyable experience for their customers.

Isle of Raasay

The Whisky category is synonymous with anticipation as you’ve got to wait at least 3 years before getting your hands on a single malt. This challenge was particularly relevant to new distillery, Isle of Rassay. Set up in 2017, Isle of Raasay started recruiting consumers and even selling products before it was available. They did this by selling a pre-release 2020. By doing this, they were able to build up a highly effective CRM database with which they could build affinity using email marketing. This built tremendous hype for the product's eventual release in August 2022.

Doughnut Time

Another, quicker and easier way to drive that sense of anticipation is demonstrated brilliantly by Doughnut Time. During lockdown, these custom doughnut treat boxes became enormously popular, and when we all sat at home, we wanted them immediately! But since then, things have changed now people are back to their somewhat usual routines. We’re now prepared to wait, so they introduced the feature of being able to pick a delivery date that suits us. Doughnut Time then engages with buyers between purchase and delivery to build anticipation, by sending updates, decoration tips and icing templates.

Find the balance

Of course, there is a balance to be struck here. Customers don't want to wait indefinitely for their products, and there is a risk that too much anticipation could lead to disappointment if the product doesn't live up to expectations. However, by building anticipation between a purchase and delivery, brands can tap into the joy of "not yet" and create a more memorable and enjoyable customer experience.

If you would like to dive deeper into the ever-changing world of consumer behaviour and find out how your brand can stay and the forefront, check out our latest webinar, Rethinking Retail: The New New Normal in 2023. If you’d like to speak with an expert about how Quantum can help your brand deliver impactful activations at the moments that matter most, get in touch today.