Waitlists help you capture demand when classes are full and automatically fill last-minute cancellations. Customers can join a waitlist from the class page and get notified when a spot opens.
Key idea: Joining a waitlist does not book or charge a customer. A booking only happens when they confirm (or when auto-book is enabled).
Enable waitlists#
Go to Admin → Settings → Booking → Waitlist and configure:
- Enable waitlist
- Waitlist mode
- Waitlist size limit
- Offer expiry (minutes)
- Cutoff before class (minutes)
Waitlist modes#
1) First in line (double opt-in)#
Customers are offered the spot in order and have a time window to confirm.
- When a spot opens, the next person gets an offer.
- If they don’t confirm within the window, the offer expires and the next person is notified.
- Customers can join the waitlist even without a valid package. They’ll be prompted to purchase/validate at confirmation.
2) Auto-book#
The next person is booked automatically when a spot opens.
- Best for studios that want simplicity and fastest fill.
- Make sure customers have valid packages or memberships, since booking happens immediately.
3) First to book wins (notify-all)#
Everyone on the waitlist is notified at once. The first customer to book gets the spot.
- Best for high-demand classes where speed matters more than fairness.
- Great for last-minute openings.
How customers experience it#
- If a class is full, customers see a Join waitlist option.
- If they join, they receive a notification when a spot opens.
- They can leave the waitlist any time from the class page.
- Offers include a clear timer (for first-in-line mode).
Notifications#
Waitlist notifications are sent by email and (optionally) SMS.
To control notifications, go to Admin → Settings → Notifications and ensure Waitlist Promotion is enabled for email and SMS.
Best practices for studios#
- Use SMS for urgent waitlist offers — response rates are higher.
- Keep expiry short (5–10 minutes) for high-demand classes.
- Set a cutoff (e.g., 60 minutes) to avoid last-second churn.
- Use auto-book if you want to maximize fill rate with minimal admin effort.
Troubleshooting#
Waitlist isn’t showing for a full class
- Confirm the studio has waitlists enabled.
- Confirm the class isn’t past the cutoff window.
Customers aren’t getting notified
- Check notification settings (email/SMS) are enabled.
- Confirm SMS is enabled for the studio and the customer has opted in.
A class is still bookable while offers are pending
- Pending offers should reserve spots. If a class looks bookable while offers are active, double-check waitlist settings and capacity configuration.